


Thunder

by A_to_B_and_C



Series: EXOVERSE [28]
Category: EXO (Band)
Genre: A lot - Freeform, Baekhyun helps them with some investigations, Chanyeol swears a lot, Detective Chanyeol, M/M, Mention of blood, Slow Burn, Smut, and obviously happy ending, and sexual discriminations, antique dealer Baekhyun, because A doesn't write bad endings, like... a lot, mention of prostitution, shady past experiences and relationships, slight mention of homophobia, they can't stand each other for the most part of it
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-18
Updated: 2020-09-18
Packaged: 2021-03-08 02:06:55
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 110,688
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26527954
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/A_to_B_and_C/pseuds/A_to_B_and_C
Summary: Senior Inspector Park Chanyeol was dealing with a problem.A big ass fucking huge problem.One of those cases that nobody, nobody, wanted in all the Seoul Metropolitan Police.And yet... there he was trying to get the ends of it.He was now even more decided to solve it, with all means necessary.Including siding with that asshole, smug and bratty antique dealer who Jondae was talking about.
Relationships: Byun Baekhyun/Park Chanyeol
Series: EXOVERSE [28]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1658077
Comments: 6
Kudos: 28





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Slightly more action fic?  
> Detective a bit of crime and so on...  
> I want to thank also a very close friend who always support me and my ideas for fics and that is currently supporting me a lot with the new fics I'm writing <3  
> Please stay healty and safe! Drink lot of water!  
> And if nobody told you yet today... I love you <3

Days weren’t the same recently at Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency.

Park Chanyeol, almost thirty-five that year, blessed with nice presence, height, manners, intellect and joyful character despite his easy-and-always-present swear on his lips, was in those day promoted to Senior Inspector, thing that brought proud to him and his family and friends.

So, what was exactly plaguing Senior Inspector Park those days?

What was making him gloomy and easily irritable?

Chanyeol sat at his desk messing his hair up again before drinking what seemed to be the tenth coffee of that morning, groaning out of frustration.

“Why in the world I can’t get the _fucking_ end of this?” he let out angrily, scaring his team members that were sitting at their own desk but in the same big shared office where Chanyeol also was.

He had a small private office too, annexed to the bigger and shared one, but he used it only when he had important things to settle or if he needed silence.

“C-Chanyeol, what’s happening?” his secretary and friend, Kim Jongin, asked him and Chanyeol groaned again.

“Is it fucking possible that we are not physically able to catch this fucking guy who keeps fucking steal from those museums?” Chanyeol asked him and, woah, too many _fuck_ s in the same sentence, but he was _fucking_ annoyed at that point.

In those days there were different cases of thefts from museums, private houses and collections, from an unbeatable, uncatchable, smartass thief who _signed_ every scene with a message to the police.

Not that he was mocking them openly in those messages.

They were all about _getting back things in their original places_ , but to Chanyeol still sounded like a mockery.

Something more like _I know you won’t fucking catch me because you are all dumb_.

And that was pissing off Chanyeol even more.

Who the hell did he or she think they were?

Modern Robin _fucking_ Hood?

Chanyeol huffed emptying his cup and gesturing Jongin to bring him some more.

There was a small silence and then one of his team members, Kim Jondae, sat up abruptly, going near his desk.

He was shorter than Chanyeol, auburn hair and attentive brown eyes.

One of the best on his team when it was up to investigation.

Slightly less if it was for shooting.

Total lack of talent.

Chanyeol sometimes wondered how he did even get that position with so few abilities with his gun.

“Yeol, I’ve a suggestion” Jondae stated before showing some data on his tablet to Chanyeol.

It was the site of an apparently renowned antiquities shop slightly off the center of Seoul.

“Do you have to renew the house, Jondae?” Chanyeol asked him, chuckling and making laugh also the rest of the team but Jondae huffed, shaking his head shortly.

“Our _Thunder thief_ always writes about bringing things back to their original places, and maybe, since he always stole old treasures and antiquities, maybe we could try and understand better paying a visit to this seller? His shop seems to be known everywhere not only here in Seoul and maybe it’s nothing but maybe it could be that they know something about this?” Jondae explained and Chanyeol hummed shortly in thought.

“When did we ever nicknamed that _fuck_ as _Thunder thief_?” he asked him, frowning perplexed by the nickname.

True, the thief still didn’t have a name and always signed themselves as _Fearless Light_ , another reason why Chanyeol couldn’t stand that prick.

What the fuck was wrong with someone who decided _Fearless Light_ as nickname?

“It’s just because they are so quick to disappear. And it goes well with the whole _Light_ thing too…” Jondae started to say but Chanyeol shook his head in front of him, cutting him off.

“Yeah, yeah. Let’s stuck with _Thunder_ , it’s easier and not so annoying as _Fearless Light_ ” he stated and Jondae nodded, glad about the grant.

“Still, I think we should go and speak with the owner. Maybe it’s nothing but maybe it will grant us some leads” he explained briefly and while Chanyeol was frowning clearly showing his disapproval, Jondae immediately added: “and it would be better than staying here groaning on nothing”.

That made Chanyeol groan even louder before he could shake his head, huffing and sitting up.

“Okay guys, so you” he started gesturing toward Jondae and then moving his stare toward Kim Junmyeon, another one of his team members, “and you will come with me to meet this antiquities shop owner” he stated nodding, clearly fine with the whole thing.

“While Jongin and Minseok will try to understand if we missed something in our existing leads” he added toward another team member who was the shortest yet strongest of them all, Kim Minseok.

Usually with other officers Chanyeol was used to call them by surnames, like it was in use in Police, but since all his team was full of Kims he started to call them by name, building an even better team than expected.

So much that when he got promoted, he fought to keep the same team members and office.

“Yessir!” they all replied and Chanyeol picked up his jacket and exited the room, followed by Jondae and Junmyeon.

They both were nice officers, good in their work, not too noisy yet very dedicated and the best to interrogate civilians.

Chanyeol drove them around the city, following Jondae’s directions and he really wanted to park just in front of the shop, but it seemed like the shop was in a pedestrian area inside a commercial district.

It wasn’t like Chanyeol hated walking or people, but he didn’t quite enjoy walking in streets full of people near the Christmas holidays with all that awful festive mood and couples holding hands.

“I hate Christmas” he spat out passing by a Santa Claus who was giving free coupons for Baskin Robbins ice-cream shop few blocks from there.

“You are too negative, boss. This is the time of the year when we should be more relaxed, happy and joyful…” Junmyeon started saying and yeah… it was easy for him.

His life was generally easier than Chanyeol’s.

Junmyeon’s father was rich and a policeman in the first place, so it was a piece of cake for him to enter Police Academy.

He always had the right acquaintances even in the weirdest places, and he was married with a lovely daughter.

So, yeah, easy.

Compared to Chanyeol who had to almost fight his own parents to go to the Police Academy, worked his non-existent ass off to get promoted and took even the worst assignments just to impress the right people and took better and better cases.

And that was alone in his cold, grey apartment since the last six years already when his previous partner, obviously tired of Chanyeol’s devoted commitment to his work and wasn’t _there enough_ , decided to go find himself someone better than Chanyeol.

Not that Chanyeol actually had time to _care_ about being alone.

When he went back home, he was so tired that he barely managed to shower before passing out, more frequently on the couch than on his own bed.

“Ah, shut up, Myeon. Did you already buy your baby a gift?” Chanyeol asked him, because for how much he despised Christmas, he knew that Junmyeon’s daughter loved it.

“Which of the two?” Junmyeon asked him back, wiggling his eyebrows and making both Chanyeol and Jondae groaned at the obvious statement on his wife.

“Come on guys! I haven’t bought them anything yet but I’m not a heartless husband nor father!” he stated immediately trying to cover the thing he just said.

And Chanyeol wanted to add something when Jondae pulled his jacket, stopping them in front of the _weirdest_ shop they ever saw.

Outside there was _hundreds_ of colorful glassy lamps and lights, wind-chimes and copper-like vases.

On the door, dark and heavy, there was a small note with an ordinated calligraphy _Be right back_.

“ _Be right back_? Who the fuck goes away in the middle of the day under Christmas sales, on a weekend day?” Chanyeol asked, even if it was a rhetorical question, since he didn’t expect someone to answer it.

Thing that, instead, happened.

“Me. And what the fuck do cops want from an antiquities shop in the middle of the day, under Christmas sales on a weekend day?” a voice behind them asked back, making them all turn around to see where it was from.

In front of them stood a man, probably twenty or twenty-five judging by the physique, shorter than Chanyeol but more or less like Jondae, dark brown hair, inquiring brownish eyes and quite an interesting choice on his clothes, baggy and stylish like he was still in his teenage.

In his right hand he was holding a potato stick and in the other a white plastic bag with Baskin Robbins’ logo.

“We need to speak with the owner of the antiquities shop” Junmyeon stated showing him his badge, Chanyeol and Jondae both nodding near him, and the man in front of them chuckle softly, smirk easily appearing on his lips.

“Think you don’t understand, guys. I’m the owner and my ice-cream is melting. So, tell me what you want or go away” he stated passing by Jondae and nearing the shop door and… _pushing it open_.

No keys, no locks, no nothing.

Like they weren’t in the center of Seoul and there wasn’t a _fucking_ thief going around.

Chanyeol and the others followed him inside and what from outside seemed a relatively small shop, revealed itself as an intricated shelves and small paths shop, full of _everything_ , including those beautiful glasses that marveled Chanyeol on the entryway.

“Listen, kid, maybe you don’t know who…” Chanyeol started saying, trying to be calm but making the man chuckle again before he could reach a huge ebony desk, covered by paper sheets and old-looking books.

The man crouched down behind the desk and reemerged without plastic bag but munching on the potato stick in his hand.

“Who you are? Seoul Metropolitan Police, obviously. And I ain’t no kid, sir. I’m probably older than all of you” he stated leaning on the big bookcase behind him, staring at Chanyeol with a challenging stare.

That man was already rubbing Chanyeol in the wrong way.

Reason why, Jondae butted in, trying to settle down things.

“Sure, we are sorry for disturbing your work on this _busy day_ , Mr. Byun, I suppose” Jondae stated, inquiring _Mr. Byun_ ’s reaction and pulling out his jotter to take some notes.

“In flesh and bones. Byun Baekhyun at yours and Seoul’s service. In what can a mere antiquities seller be of any help to the cops?” he asked again, smirk not leaving his lips and there was something weirdly confident and enthralling in how his lips curved and his eyes glinted in the faint light of the shop.

“Did you have any theft in your shop these days, Mr. Byun?” Jondae asked him and Baekhyun hummed shortly before shaking his head, eating another bite of the potato stick.

“Not that I know, no. Here there’s hardly something valuable enough to motivate a theft” he replied shrugging his shoulders and Chanyeol chuckled shortly.

“Indeed, this place is full of baubles and gewgaws” Chanyeol spat out, earning himself a glare from Baekhyun.

“Cut the shit, officer. Tell me what you want or go away. Wasn’t I clear?” he asked again, this time tone lower and, yeah, not friendly at all.

“Come one, Byun, don’t you want to help us with something that could keep you busy instead of running this…” Chanyeol started saying but in the distance the entry door opened, chime softly tingling.

“Are you open, sir?” a female voice came from there and Baekhyun raised his eyebrow toward the policemen there.

“Sure thing, lady. Looking for something in particular?” he asked back, finishing immediately the potatoes stick, cleaning his hands with a wet wipe and moving toward the entry, leaving there the policemen.

“Ah, Byun-ssi so glad to find you open. My granny was so pleased with that glass lamp I gave her for her birthday she wanted to buy another few for her friends, you know, for Christmas. Do you have more?” she asked him and Baekhyun chuckled softly, this time something nice and clear, pleasantly tickling Chanyeol’s ears.

“Sure do, lady. Come, come… preferences on the colors?” he asked her, coming back again toward the ebony desk, but stare lost on the lanterns that were hanging from the ceiling, and when the girl who was following him saw the officers, she bowed shortly.

“Were you busy, Mr. Byun?” she asked him and he smiled candidly at her, shaking his head.

“No, sirs were going away. They were just making sure that nothing is happening in our streets. Make us feel safer, right?” Baekhyun asked smiling again, this time toward Chanyeol and the others and Chanyeol never saw a smile as perfect as his.

“Sure, yeah. Thanks for your time, Mr. Byun” Jondae stated, pressing Junmyeon’s arm to make him exit the shop, followed by Chanyeol too.

And they went away, but Chanyeol had so many questions for that _antiquities seller_.

He had a hunch that he could help them with those cases.

Even though he didn’t know why.

“We should have insisted” Junmyeon stated when they were outside and Jondae hummed.

“There will be another time for coming back” he added and Chanyeol crossed his arms to his chest, thinking.

Surely Baekhyun pissed him off, but not as much as the _Thunder thief_ , so…

Better put that aside and coming again on a different day, with more precise questions.

They came back to the shop, only he and Jondae, few days later.

It was slightly raining, and it was strange considering the season.

It was supposed to snow, in that period more than raining, but Chanyeol didn’t dislike that either.

There were less people in the streets and, even though, he had to go around with the umbrella, at least the possibilities to meet someone were very few despite being still during Christmas time.

Their _Thunder thief_ , apparently, stroke again, stealing a famous painting from one of Seoul’s main museum.

Chanyeol was _fuming_ , in a word.

They couldn’t quite understand why and how they managed to fool police once again.

That _fucking_ thief.

And _fuck_ also to that antiquities seller who didn’t help them in the very first place.

“Yeol, we’re here” Jondae called him, gently pulling his sleeve and Chanyeol raised his stare, moving gently the umbrella to look at the shop and meeting the softest vision he _ever_ had in his life.

Baekhyun was holding a pink umbrella to cover up himself and a girl that just went out of his shop, showing him which lantern she wanted, but he was doing a really poor job at it, completely soaking his own shoulders, in favor of covering the girl.

He hushed her inside as soon as she decided, carding his fingers through his hair before going back inside, hair slightly wet too.

However, the smile on Baekhyun’s lips was oh so sweet.

That smartass, sassy brat could have some good points too, or so it seemed.

Chanyeol and Jondae entered the shop too, just in time to see the girl pay, thank Baekhyun again and then exit picking up the pink umbrella on her way out.

Baekhyun picked up a small towel and started wiping his hair, stare shortly raising from the counter and meeting Jondae and Chanyeol’s.

“Ah, officers. You are back again…” Baekhyun whispered, losing that smile that decorated his face before, frown briefly appearing on his forehead.

“Last time we didn’t manage to make all the questions we had” Jondae started saying, picking up again his jotter and Baekhyun inhaled shortly before sitting down on the high stool behind the counter.

“Sure, please then” he conceded in return, patting his own trousers and finding a small packet of cigarette.

He lit one and then puffed out some smoke.

It was enthralling looking at him smoking, how his lips pressed against the cigarette and how his fingers hold it between them.

“You are not here for asking me if someone stole something in my store, right?” Baekhyun asked them softly, voice barely audible and Chanyeol shook his head shortly.

“What makes you think so?” Chanyeol asked back, making Baekhyun huff a laugh, together with a bit of smoke.

“You came here twice, in less than four days. Outside is raining and _both of you_ took your time to come here visiting the _brat-looking owner_ of an antiquities shop? Definitely fishy” Baekhyun whispered finishing his cigarette and pressing the end in an ashtray on the counter.

Chanyeol was about to speak when Baekhyun hummed shortly in thought, shaking his head, still wet hair falling messily on his forehead.

Chanyeol found it quite… interesting?

Despite the tone and attitude that still rubbed him in the wrong way, though.

“Are you here for those thieveries in the museums?” he asked them shortly, stare meeting directly with Chanyeol’s instead of Jondae’s.

He surely understood who was in charge and that he was speaking with one of the higher ranks from Seoul Metropolitan Police.

Chanyeol shortly nodded, taking some folded paper sheets from the inner pocket of his jacket and giving them to Baekhyun, under the perplexed stare of Jondae.

He knew that the agreements weren’t those.

And that nobody authorized Chanyeol to show to a civilian like Baekhyun those documents.

But Chanyeol… knew that Baekhyun could help them.

Even though he didn’t know why.

In those four days, Chanyeol took his time investigating on Baekhyun.

Byun Baekhyun, almost thirty-six that year, no sign of police records.

Owner and administrator of the antique shop _Moon of Seoul_.

Permanently surrounded by a jazzy and smartass vibe, he was loved by literally _everywhere_ in his area.

He wasn’t from Seoul, but after he transferred there, he immediately became popular especially between younger girls who talked about him like an idol in disguise and among old ladies who considered him like a respectful and weirdly fascinating son-in-law.

What attracted mainly people was, apparently, Baekhyun’s physical appearance, enthralling and smooth despite his height, and his teenager-like behavior.

However, what got Chanyeol’s attention were Baekhyun’s studies.

He didn’t open an antiquities store without being able to pick left from right.

Baekhyun had knowledge in history and had his master degree in cultural heritage preservation, meaning he knew a lot of museum and pieces of art too.

He was more than suitable for helping them finding whoever was this _Thunder thief_ as Jondae called him.

And definitely more suitable that all of them, since they knew basically nothing on the matter and it wasn’t so common those days to find a thief so selective on _what_ to steal.

Baekhyun raised his eyebrow, taking the papers that Chanyeol was giving him, carding his fingers through his hair before opening finally looking through them.

Chanyeol could clearly see how Baekhyun’s frown got deeper while he proceeded with the reading, fingers going to press and pull his bottom lip.

“Are you sure it’s okay for me to read this?” Baekhyun asked at a certain point and Chanyeol nodded even before Jondae could even try and look in Chanyeol’s direction to understand if it was _really okay for Baekhyun to read those_.

Baekhyun hummed softly in thought, stare not leaving the papers, frown clearly showing even though less than before.

“They… stole a bit before you realized that you needed help” Baekhyun commented whistling after seeing the list of all the things their _Thunder thief_ already stole.

Chanyeol though, focused on the tone Baekhyun had saying that _they needed help_.

“We don’t need help” Chanyeol spat out immediately, making Baekhyun glance toward him, eyebrow raising slightly in perplexity.

“Oh, you don’t?” Baekhyun asked him, folding once again the paper sheets and giving them back to Chanyeol who took them, shaking his head.

“No, it would be just a consultation. Nothing more, we can do perfectly without any _help_ ” he stated nodding shortly and Baekhyun shortly looked at him before nodding briefly.

“If you don’t need my help, then why are you even here?” Baekhyun asked them, gesturing with his head toward the door of the shop.

Chanyeol knew that with Baekhyun’s help everything would be easier, but he didn’t want to give that _brat_ the illusion that they actually _needed_ him.

Because they didn’t.

They could do it in another way.

Maybe Chanyeol could ask to someone on his acquaintances to understand better if there was something they could do.

“We hoped that your civic sense was willing to…” Jondae started saying softly, but Chanyeol stopped him with a short gesture of his hand.

“We don’t need anything, no. Have a great day, Mr. Byun” he concluded walking outside the shop followed by a clearly pissed off Jondae.

“Chanyeol!” he called him, but Chanyeol ignored him almost until where they parked the car.

“We don’t need that _brat_ ’s help. I’ll ask to an old acquaintance of mine, and we can also ask about that to Zhang of the culture department. Come on, we don’t need that asshole” Chanyeol stated huffing and pressing angrily the remote control to unlock is car.

Jondae sighed deeply sitting inside, near him, on the passenger seat.

“Just because you can’t stand Mr. Byun, it doesn’t mean that we don’t need him, Chanyeol. I mean, he has the best knowledge on the matter and you stated yourself too, who can we ask too if there’s no major asshole know-everything than him?” Jondae asked back, but Chanyeol was already shaking his head, clearly unhappy with the outcome of that visit.

“We don’t need him, Jondae” he concluded and Jondae huffed softly again, shaking his head.

And Chanyeol knew that probably Jondae was right too, but he would never admit it openly.

Or so he thought.

When Chanyeol went to ask to the culture department to ask _Zhang_ about it, it was already a no-no.

 _Mr. Zhang_ or also Zhang Yixing, head of Foreign culture and anti-money laundering department, was well-known for knowing _everything_ of _everybody_.

He was the most informed person on _everything_ inside all police departments.

Yet, when Chanyeol asked him if he knew something about _Fearless Light_ or the thieveries or if there was a sequential order for them to happen, Yixing was… a bit useless.

He studied a bit the papers, thinking about other thefts he faced during those years, or if their thief’s personality was similar to others he already met before, but it was for nothing.

“I’m sorry I can’t be of any help, officer Park, but your _Fearless Light_ seems to be… fleeting. Appearing and disappearing like they are not human. And their modus operandi is… weirdly satisfying? I mean, never saw somebody as precise yet different in all their actions. If they didn’t sign their own work, probably we couldn’t even link all the thefts together” Yixing stated nodding and, okay, but that didn’t help Chanyeol at all.

He thanked him politely for his time and called directly his acquaintance.

Oh Sehun was an art enthusiast, had several galleries and was patron of a lot of artists.

Not that he could draw something neither tracing from something previously existing, but he loved art and all the history connected to it.

If there was someone Chanyeol would have ask for regarding art history, it was Sehun.

“I’m in a tight moment, officer. Be quick or call me back later” Sehun replied at the phone and he was panting like he just ran the New York marathon.

“Oh, don’t tell me you’re having sex over the phone with me” Chanyeol spat out, chuckling and knowing that Sehun, despite his handsomeness, he was single and constantly looking for his _soulmate_ more than a one-night stand.

“Oh, cut it, you nasty officer. I know you like to imagine it, but no… just come back from a run” he replied chuckling too before drinking something, almost loudly in Chanyeol’s ear.

“At least distance your speaker from where you are drinking” Chanyeol retorted immediately making Sehun laugh even louder than before.

“I imagine that you aren’t calling me for harassing me, right?” Sehun stated, voice getting lower and breath even.

Chanyeol sighed shortly before speaking up.

“No, I’m calling for a consultation” he started saying shortly and Sehun chuckled on the other side.

“You need help then” he retorted immediately and Chanyeol sighed even deeper than before.

“I don’t…” he started saying but Sehun was already saying “ _oh well if you don’t need anything then…”_ , so Chanyeol inhaled deeply nodding.

“No, yeah, I do need your help. I don’t know who to ask this to if not you” Chanyeol finally gave in, sitting down in his office, attracting Jondae’s perplexed stare.

He hushed him to restart his work with a gesture of his hand.

“Oh, definitely better. Now I’m ready to listen up, officer. State your problem and I’ll show you the way” Sehun retorted, making Chanyeol frown shortly, shaking his head.

“We had few cases of thefts in museums, Oh. Someone stole from you too?” Chanyeol started saying and Sehun hummed briefly on the other side of the call before reply.

“No, but I kind of sponsor new artists more than _already known_ ones. So probably your thief is not interested in those” Sehun replied softly and Chanyeol hummed, pressing his fingers on his nose.

“But if I show you some papers about their thefts, the museums where they stole from and what was stolen, could you help us understand what they will do next or where they will target?” Chanyeol asked him again softly, trying to understand how much Sehun was fine in helping them.

Sehun let out a soft chuckle, probably shaking his head too.

“I… Do I look like an old art expert to you, officer?” he replied immediately and Chanyeol inhaled deeply, pressing his lips in a thin line.

He didn’t want to go again to that hole of antiquities shop like he had to _beg_ that _brat_ to help them.

There had to be another _fucking_ solution to that.

“However, don’t give up, officer. I know someone who can help you and can organize a meeting for you” Sehun continued and for the first moment in _days_ Chanyeol thought he could see the light.

“It would be very kind of you, Oh. I’ll owe you a dinner” Chanyeol retorted immediately making Sehun chuckle again.

“Sure you do, officer. I’ll arrange it and let you know, okay? I’ll be there too so that you don’t need secret code to meet each other” he concluded and Chanyeol thanked him again before greeting and hanging up the phone.

“You see, Jondae? We don’t need that _fucking_ antiquities brat. My acquaintance will organize me a meeting with someone who can help us” Chanyeol stated all proudly and Jondae smiled shortly, nodding.

“I’m glad about that Chanyeol. Hopefully we will be able to move toward a solution, once for all” he stated and Chanyeol nodded, smile not leaving his face.

They didn’t need him, they could do it in other ways.

Sehun wrote him a message not more than half an hour later with the details of the meeting and Chanyeol was literally beaming.

 _Fuck off. You and your asshole attitude,_ he thought mind going again to Baekhyun and how he was showing off.

Even though he couldn’t even erase that soft smile he had helping the young girl choosing the lantern, nor how his hair stuck nicely to his face and behind his ear for being wet.

That day Chanyeol went to the meeting alone.

The others were busy with diving all the proofs and witnesses they had so that they could show them later to Sehun’s acquaintance.

He knew the small café where Sehun asked him to meet and when he arrived, he realized that he was slightly later than the appointment, so he entered already.

On the farther side of the café, Sehun was sitting, fidgeting with his phone and Chanyeol greeted him with a small wave of his hand.

“Oh, officer. Nice to see you. Hope everything’s fine” Sehun greeted him, sitting up and hinting a small bow.

“Same to you. Your galleries? All’s good?” Chanyeol asked him, knowing how Sehun was dedicated to promoting and supporting new talents and artists with all his possibilities.

“Yeah, everything is fine. Young artists are always so inventive, so fresh… I like their will to do” he stated nodding and sitting back, gesturing Chanyeol to sit in front of him.

And even before Chanyeol could ask it, Sehun immediately added: “ _Hyung_ should be here too in few minutes. He said that he was around the corner”.

Chanyeol frowned shortly at the _hyung_ usage.

Sehun _never_ called anyone _hyung_.

He always said that age didn’t matter, that all those epithets were wasted in life and only mockingly respect the term _officer_ on Chanyeol.

So… who was this _hyung_?

However, even before he could ask Sehun about it, from the front door entered nobody else but Byun Baekhyun in all his swag baggy appearance.

His hair was disheveled and his cheeks slightly rose, breath uneven.

“ _Sehunnie_ ” he breathed softly, looking with his stare for Sehun and when he met Sehun’s stare, he smiled brightly.

He didn’t have time to move, that Sehun was already _skipping_ toward him, hugging him tightly, almost engulfing Baekhyun’s presence, hiding him from Chanyeol’s sight.

“ _Hyung_ , you managed. Thank you, missed you so much” Sehun stated and Baekhyun’s hand patted on his back, softly gently.

“Missed you too. Let’s go dinner together tonight?” Baekhyun asked him, slightly distancing himself from Sehun to look at him in his eyes.

Sehun pouted softly, shaking his head.

“Tonight I can’t. What about tomorrow?” he retorted immediately and Baekhyun smiled at him nodding and, _wait_ , was that _really_ the same Byun Baekhyun Chanyeol met before?

Too smiley, too cute and caring toward Sehun to be _that antiquities brat_.

However, in the same moment Baekhyun’s stare shifted to Chanyeol, his smirk was already back on his lips.

“Oh, so officer Park needed _help_ with some secret matter?” he asked toward Sehun who frowned shortly, accompanying him to where Chanyeol was still sitting.

“Do you already know officer Park?” Sehun asked him, patting the chair near his own so that Baekhyun could sit down too.

Baekhyun chuckled, smirk not leaving his lips, eyes glinting with a mischievous light.

“Sure do. It seems he didn’t need my help few days ago” Baekhyun stated shortly, tilting his head on the side, and even before Chanyeol could even consider a proper reply, Sehun shook his head shortly.

“Oh, he needs, instead. You are the only person who _maybe_ could help them” Sehun stated briefly gesturing toward the waitress who took their orders and came back immediately with their coffees.

Chanyeol inhaled deeply, stare finally moving toward Baekhyun instead of Sehun.

“Oh is right. We, uhm, need a bit of help, yeah” he stated briefly discouraged by the grief admission that he would never think of admitting, especially not in front of Baekhyun himself.

Baekhyun’s eyes went slightly wider in perplexity before he could hum shortly, nodding.

“I… wanted to visit you at the start of the next week, if Sehunnie didn’t call me” Baekhyun replied briefly, shrugging his shoulders.

“That’s almost kind of you, _hyung_ ” Sehun stated softly, but Baekhyun was already shaking his head.

“I pitied that poor soul that was with officer Park last time. He seemed to be the only reasonable person” he stated, shaking his head and Chanyeol really had to focus not to sit up and go away, having already enough of Baekhyun.

“How do you even know my last name?” Chanyeol asked him huffing shortly, shaking his head and Baekhyun let out a soft chuckle before picking up what looked like a business card from his wallet and pushing it toward Chanyeol.

It was Chanyeol’s own card from the police.

“Officer Kim left it last time you visited. He stated that you actually need help and don’t know what to do with a _Thunder thief_ or something like that” Baekhyun stated shortly before picking up again the small card, fingers gently brushing against Chanyeol’s.

Chanyeol didn’t notice it before but Baekhyun’s fingers were slender and his hands so… beautiful.

They were definitely as enthralling as their owner.

“It’s not _Thunder thief._ It’s _Fearless Light_ … who even calls themselves like that in the twentieth century?” Chanyeol groaned lowly in despair and Baekhyun chuckled softly shaking his head.

“Officer, aren’t you too strict for being this young? You should think with the youngsters’ mentality too” Baekhyun stated shortly making Chanyeol frown again.

“I’m not. I’m a police officer if you don’t realize already, you _brat_. And whoever acts or does the things our _Fearless Light_ does, has to be condemned. We can’t allow these behaviors in modern days society” Chanyeol replied immediately, tone serious, and quoting again the thief nickname but this time with air commas with his fingers.

Baekhyun stayed silent for a moment, looking at him, interested, like he was studying him.

However, before Sehun could say something to tone down that electricity that came to be, Baekhyun spoke up.

“I think I told you already. I’m older than you and I ain’t no _brat_ , officer. And I don’t know a _fucking_ thing about this thief, but I’m trying to be nice with that poor subordinate of yours, not because you have a cute face. So, can we please focus on this and not on how strict and duteous you are?” Baekhyun spat out in reply, voice way colder than before and clearly losing again that playfulness that Sehun temporarily gave him.

Only in that moment, Chanyeol recognized the same Baekhyun he spoke with before.

And he was perplexed by the swap between the two ways Baekhyun could be.

With Sehun was all cute and soft and the only reason he was there, probably already figuring it out from the conversation he had with Sehun, was because he wanted to help Jondae.

So he had a human side too.

But in the meantime, with Chanyeol he was colder than ice, stare almost piercing daggers in Chanyeol’s whole being every time Chanyeol was… _himself_.

Or better, his formal self.

The one he forged in years of military academy and police service.

Chanyeol didn’t care, though.

He needed Baekhyun’s help, not his sympathy.

“Quit joking around then. If you are free, there’s material you have to see at the police headquarters” Chanyeol stated lowly, hastily drinking his coffee.

Baekhyun nodded shortly drinking his own coffee too, stare moving on Sehun and immediately shifting to something gentler, caring.

“Sehunnie, I’ll write you for tomorrow’s dinner. I should close the shop around seven as usual. We can meet outside” he whispered softly and Sehun frowned shortly.

“You sure I didn’t do anything wrong?” he asked back, clearly referring about having settled that appointment between Baekhyun and Chanyeol.

Baekhyun was quick in shaking his head, smile not even faltering on his lips.

“No, no, not at all, Sehunnie. I told you. I was planning to go since officer Kim left me that business card. No worries” he replied softly, hand going to mess with Sehun’s hair much to his despair.

“You don’t need to worry about a thing” Baekhyun added immediately, winking toward Sehun who blushed slightly, shaking his head and shooing him away with his hands.

“Don’t you have something to do with officer Park? Go, go” he concluded and Baekhyun chuckled softly, sitting up but leaning briefly in to press a kiss on the top of Sehun’s head, place otherwise unreachable while they were both standing, seeing the obvious difference in height.

“Thanks, Sehunnie. Call you back” he breathed before waiving at him and following Chanyeol outside the shop.

They walked in silence up Chanyeol’s car in the parking near the café.

“You have to thank Sehunnie and probably build him a statue or donate some funds to his galleries. I wouldn’t have come if it wasn’t for him” Baekhyun stated sitting in Chanyeol’s car and pulling at the safety belt.

Chanyeol inhaled deeply, imitating his gesture before turning on the engine and drive off the parking place.

“Listen, I know that we don’t stand each other and whatever you want, but I just want this case to be closed, okay? And I don’t give a fuck on why you came today or no. I’m just… mildly impressed that you did. And slightly grateful. So let me drive to the police station and there you probably won’t even have to talk with me anymore. I have few collaborators, including Jondae, you can talk to them” Chanyeol retorted, inhaling briefly before focusing his stare on the road.

Baekhyun hummed shortly, before staring outside the window too, not adding a single thing.

That silence was… strange.

Chanyeol expected Baekhyun to retort something, like a smartass comment or something like that, but Baekhyun simply stayed silent, fingers playing with the hem of his jacket.

They were almost arrived when Baekhyun’s phone went off, ringtone sounding like an old carillon more than a modern k-pop song or something along the line as Chanyeol would have thought.

Baekhyun picked up an old model of iPhone, probably one of the first ones, and slid his thumb on the screen accepting the call.

“I’m busy. What do you want?” he spat out without even greeting, nor letting the caller greet him.

He stayed silent listening to what the caller was saying, before he could press his fingers against his nose bridge, sighing deeply.

“Yeah, okay. I’ll… come tomorrow in the afternoon. You have the keys, though?” Baekhyun asked at a certain point, clearly pissed off by whatever the other part was saying and when the reply came, he sighed even deeper than before.

“Why are you so fucking dumb? Yeah, okay, okay. Stop fidgeting with it and I’ll come by tomorrow during lunch break, okay?” he asked again and when the speaker on the other side replied, Baekhyun nodded shortly too.

“Fine then. Don’t touch anything and see you tomorrow” he concluded shortly and after few greetings, Baekhyun hung up.

Chanyeol parked the car in the parking place and got off, followed promptly by Baekhyun.

They didn’t speak at all neither in the corridors where Chanyeol met other people who knew him and greeted him or threw weird stare at him since he was in company of a _baggy trousers wearing smartass civilian_.

Chanyeol pushed open the door of his shared office with the others, taking off his jacket.

“So, our external collaborator for this task, Mr. Byun, will help us find out what’s happening with our _Thunder thief_. Please share with him everything we already know and treat him almost as one of us. All the moves, researches, interrogations you may do, _must_ be approved by me. I don’t want _any_ of you doing something I don’t know about. Am I clear?” Chanyeol stated entering the room without even greeting the other but earning himself perplexed stares by all the present.

Luckily, they were all there, so presentation time should be shorter.

Even shorter when Jongin sat up perplexed, nodding toward Baekhyun.

“ _Hyung_?” he asked astonished and Baekhyun chuckled softly, gently waiving at him.

“Hey, Jongin. Nice to see you. Are you fine? And your family?” Baekhyun asked him, making Jongin open in probably the wider smile Chanyeol ever saw on his face.

“Yeah, we are all good thank you. My mother always asks about you” Jongin replied, smile not leaving his lips and Baekhyun started easing him up, when Jondae neared Chanyeol.

“So… we don’t need him?” Jondae asked him briefly, raising his eyebrow and Chanyeol sighed deeply, carding his fingers through his hair.

“My acquaintance’s resource was him, so, yeah, we _do_ need him apparently” he replied shortly and Jondae chuckled briefly, nodding and picking up a thick pile of folders from his desk.

“We will update him, if you want to go and take a coffee?” he breathed but Chanyeol shook his head, gesturing toward his desk.

“I’ll be sitting there, but please take the lead. I can’t stand him already and I know that it will be _fucking_ long” Chanyeol concluded, patting on Jondae’s shoulder, seeing him nod shortly, turning toward where Baekhyun and Jongin where still chatting.

“Okay guys, time for a recap and to update Mr. Byun with all we know. First of all, introductions. I’m Kim Jondae” he started saying moving his head toward the others, “Jongin, you know him already. On the right we have Kim Junmyeon, expert good cop and on the left Kim Minseok, angel face but bad cop. Since we all have Kim surname, you can call us by name” Jondae started explaining toward Baekhyun who was already chuckling.

“Fine that Kim is a common surname in South Korea, but… isn’t this too much?” he asked, smirk not leaving his face and Jondae chuckled shortly too.

“Yeol had the possibility to change unit when he got promoted but decided to stick us together so… here we are, the Kim team” Jondae explained, gesturing vaguely toward where Chanyeol was sitting.

Chanyeol forced a short apologetical smile.

“Not my fault if you guys work well together and I didn’t want to start again with another team since you are great” Chanyeol stated briefly, shrugging his shoulders, and there was a short silence before Junmyeon spoke up, surprised.

“Did he just… praise us?” he asked softly, astonished and Jondae nodded, barely able to process the whole thing too.

“Oh heavens, someone please write it down on the calendar! Tonight, fried chicken and beer for everybody” Minseok commented immediately, making Jongin cheer loudly.

Baekhyun snorted shortly shaking his head, even though he had a nice smile on his lips, way better than that smirk that he always showed to Chanyeol.

“So, officer Park is really strict and bad?” Baekhyun asked them and even before Chanyeol could speak up, Jongin hummed shortly, nodding.

“He’s like Anger from _Inside Out_. You know the movie?” Jongin asked him and Baekhyun looked at him, astonished, before exploding in a pristine and brilliant laugh.

It was so… bright?

And Chanyeol knew he should be offended because they just compared him to a fictional character that depicted anger in a kid movie, but heavens if Baekhyun wasn’t cute like _that_.

“Oh heavens, that’s such a great comparison! Didn’t think about it before but it’s actually… fitting?” he added, barely keeping up with not laughing again and when Chanyeol thought it was the right moment to intervene, Baekhyun stopped the whole thing himself.

“Let’s get serious, though. I think all of you had enough of this thief. So show me what you know and let’s see if there’s something we can do” he stated briefly, smiling shortly toward them, even if the smile of before was already a memory on his lips, now only a courteous smile, almost forced.

It followed almost two hours of explanations on everything happened since then, all the places the thief went to, what was stolen and how he did it.

Baekhyun wrote things on his phone, asking them when he wasn’t sure he understood correctly, but he was smart enough to understand way too well, sometimes even better than the ones that were updating him with all that news.

“I mean, if they went and stole that portrait in less than forty minutes maybe they are more than a single person? Or they knew the area very well, no?” he asked them while pointing out the architecture of one of the last museums _Thunder thief_ stole from.

Baekhyun sat up from where he was leaning on the desk, nearing where Jondae was showing him a map of the museum on the flip board.

“I don’t understand…” Jondae started but Baekhyun took the marker from Jondae’s hand, drawing a small map under the one attached to it.

Chanyeol sat up from where he was sitting too, interested in Baekhyun’s way of thinking.

“You can write on the map. It’s a copy” he stated, surprising everybody in the room, and Baekhyun nodded, moving his hand on the upper part of the sheet.

His fingers were so slender and nice around that marker and… had he a mole on his thumb?

“What I’m trying to say is that, maybe, this part here of the museum is too big and they would never do it in forty minutes without knowing very well the structure of the museum and maybe having a partner” Baekhyun explained again, drawing the path that the thief could have taken from where he stole the painting and the exit.

Chanyeol hummed shortly in thought, nearing where Baekhyun and Jondae were standing.

“Actually, we suppose that they took the rear exit, here” Chanyeol stated pointing an exit on the map and Baekhyun frowned deeply, before shaking his head.

“It’s not possible. That door is not opening” Baekhyun retorted softly, making Chanyeol frown too.

“What do you mean with _is not opening_?” he asked back, not understanding what Baekhyun meant, and Baekhyun deadpanned.

“That… it’s not opening?” he tried again and Chanyeol groaned in exasperation, fingers carding through his hair.

“Why the fuck they have a door that it’s not opening?” he asked him almost there to lose his patience again with Baekhyun, but he clicked his tongue, shaking his head.

“Why the fuck should I know? I’m just telling you that just in front of this door they put a small cabin for the guard. There’s absolutely no way that that door can open. I was there last week too and I can grant you that it’s still there” Baekhyun stated, drawing an x on the door they were talking about.

“Why you went there?” Chanyeol asked him and Baekhyun frowned deeply, perplexed by the sudden question.

“To meet one of the new researchers there. I helped them in the past with few expositions and loaned them some pieces from my personal collection” Baekhyun replied frankly and Chanyeol hummed in thought, clearly hearing gears working full power in his head.

So…

If that door couldn’t be used for now obvious reasons, how right was Baekhyun’s thought?

Was it the only solution or there were others that they didn’t considerate before?

Chanyeol inhaled deeply, turning toward Jondae.

“Show him all the maps we have also of the other museums and try to understand how much he knows about them and what we could have mistaken up until now. I want a detailed report on my desk before tonight” he stated like Baekhyun wasn’t there and wasn’t hearing all the things he just said, moving this time to his office and to his desk, turning on his personal computer.

There were things that he didn’t quite get of Byun Baekhyun.

How important was he in the art and museums panorama?

Why someone like him who was almost nothing if not the owner of an antiquities shop, knew so much about art and was taken so into consideration by personalities as Sehun?

Chanyeol completely isolated himself for almost all the afternoon before a soft knock on the door, got him back to the real world, not the one he was immersed into.

“We… are going, Chanyeol” Jondae breathed softly, giving him a yellow folder, way thicker than he expected.

Chanyeol nodded briefly, taking the folder and putting on top of a huge pile.

“Are you… sure you don’t want to come with us?” Jondae added briefly, stare a bit worried stopping on Chanyeol’s curved figure over all those paper sheets and folders.

Chanyeol shook his head shortly, stare returning on the sheets in front of him.

When he realized that Jondae didn’t exit his office and was still standing there, hand on the handle of the door, looking at him, he frowned again.

“There’s more?” Chanyeol asked him, waiting for a reply.

Jondae inhaled deeply.

“It’s almost Christmas, Chanyeol, for heavens’ sake. They are months already that you haven’t called your family and you live inside here. Breathing a bit of air won’t do you any bad” he stated shortly, forced smile appearing on his lips and, even before Chanyeol could comment or retort that he had a _fucking_ _huge_ amount of work waiting for him, Jondae leant his head on the side.

“And tonight, Baekhyun’s really offering fried chicken. It could be a nice opportunity to see him differently?” Jondae tried again, making Chanyeol frown.

He didn’t know what he was more perplexed with.

The fact that Jondae was calling Baekhyun with his first name.

The fact that Baekhyun was _offering fried chicken to his team_.

Or the fact that Jondae was trying to be kind toward Chanyeol and wanted to involve him in a team-building meeting.

“I… no, thank you. Go and enjoy” he breathed, forcing a short smile, shaking his head again, earning himself a long sigh from Jondae before he could nod shortly and exiting, closing the door behind him.

Chanyeol closed his eyes, leaning his back against the backrest of the chair, feeling his bones cracking and, _fuck_ , he was too young to feel that old.

He stretched reaching the yellow folder Jondae just brought him and opened it, finding Jondae’s handwriting mixed with a more precise yet rounded one.

It wasn’t of any of his teammates so… Baekhyun’s.

Baekhyun’s notes were detailed and precise, clearly way more than his sometime messy appearance, baggy style and smartass attitude.

He clearly knew well all those museums, probably due to his studies, even though there wasn’t trace of any official work in any of them.

And there was definitely something more that Chanyeol couldn’t quite get about him.

Chanyeol frowned shortly, thinking back again to what Sehun said about Baekhyun.

 _You are the only person that maybe could help them_.

Chanyeol didn’t know why Baekhyun knew that much about museums, arts and so on, but if he could be the right person to help them, he wanted him on that fucking case, catching that fucking thief.

Even at the cost to leave everything in Jondae’s hand, just not to have anything to do with Baekhyun.

Once again, he was proved wrong in less than few days.

He was sitting on his desk, in his private office, not the shared small desk he had in the big room with the others, when he heard a short knock.

He raised his stare meeting Minseok’s worried one.

“Uhm, Chanyeol…” he started saying and Chanyeol frowned shortly, worried.

It wasn’t of Minseok behaving like that, being all timid in telling him something.

“Dae and Baekhyunnie went to Seoul Music Museum together to prove Baekhyunnie’s point” Minseok whispered and Chanyeol once again didn’t know if he was more perplexed by Minseok calling Baekhyun with that small and cute nickname, Jondae and Baekhyun going to that museum or the fact that Jondae _didn’t even mentioned it_.

Thing he never did before.

Because Jondae was one of his most trustworthy collaborators.

And he knew that Chanyeol wanted to be informed on basically everything.

“When did they go?” Chanyeol asked him and Minseok shrugged his shoulders.

“Few minutes ago? Dae said that everything would be fine and there was no reason for you to worry” Minseok replied but Chanyeol was already sitting up and picking up his jacket.

“If someone looks for me, I have my work phone with me. Call me if _anything_ happens” he ordered, before going out the room and down in the parking, taking his car and driving up to the museum.

He tried calling Jondae few times, but he never picked up, thing that got Chanyeol even more pissed off.

When he arrived, he showed his badge to the receptionist and asked her if other officers were there and she nodded shortly, calling her colleague to escort Chanyeol to where, hopefully Jondae and Baekhyun were.

“You know your colleagues are really doing the job on the field, as you probably say, because you know I always watch a lot of crime dramas” the woman explained nodding fervently while she accompanied Chanyeol until the room where Jondae and Baekhyun was.

“Job on the field?” he countered, frowning shortly and she nodded again.

“Very interesting indeed” she added and Chanyeol raised his eyebrows, wondering what the fuck Jondae was doing there with Baekhyun.

“Especially since I didn’t know that the police was cooperating with Mr. Byun. It was such a surprise seeing him here” the woman continued and Chanyeol hummed in thought.

“Does… Mr. Byun work with you often?” he asked her, interested at the sudden mention and she shook her head.

“He worked with us when he was still graduating and then few more times, but then he stated that he was changing life, opening some kind of antiquities shop, I don’t know really, and we never met him again” she explained briefly, making Chanyeol hum in thought.

So Baekhyun worked with them somehow.

Even though there was no trace of it anywhere.

Who in the world was Byun Baekhyun?

And then from the room in front of them, Baekhyun’s voice came up.

“Dae… not that distant. It can’t be” he stated softly, earning himself a loud whine from Jondae.

“And keep your voice down. We are in a sanctuary made of art” he added immediately and Jondae chuckled softly, attracting Chanyeol’s interest.

He entered the room too, finding Baekhyun standing on the higher stairs of a folding ladder, with a laser pointer in his hand.

Jondae instead was standing in the center of the room closing some distance from the entryway to the ladder where Baekhyun was standing.

“What the hell are you doing you two?” Chanyeol asked them entering the room too and Baekhyun, who was giving him his back, almost fell down from the ladder.

“Ah, Chanyeol… you didn’t have to come. We are proving a point” Jondae stated shortly, slightly waiving at him.

Chanyeol inhaled deeply before thanking the lady that accompanied him there and reaching Jondae’s position.

“Do you mind telling me what the hell is going on here? Didn’t I tell you that I wanted you to advise me of _every single move_ you made?” Chanyeol asked him, tone slightly rising and Baekhyun hushed him quickly.

“Quiet. We can be here only for a few more and only if we are silent enough” Baekhyun stated briefly and Chanyeol shut up just because didn’t want the security to come up and force them to leave.

Especially since they didn’t have any permit to stay there.

Baekhyun gestured shortly toward Jondae, making him sign to near the ladder a bit more and Baekhyun pointed at him again the small laser pointer that, now that Chanyeol was nearer, realized it wasn’t a simple pointer but a measurement device.

Jondae slowly walked until Baekhyun stopped him with a short gesture of his hand.

“There” he whispered shortly and Jondae stopped immediately, looking around himself.

He was in the perfect center of the room, more or less, distance from all the doors and windows.

“What the…?” Jondae started saying but Baekhyun’s stare was already on the ceiling.

“We need the ventilation ducts plan” Baekhyun stated briefly, coming down from the ladder and Jondae was agape staring at the ceiling too.

“But from the ceiling, Baek?” Jondae asked him and Baekhyun hummed briefly.

“Why not? A modern James Bond?” Baekhyun retorted, chuckling softly and folding again the staircase, picking it up, showing a fair degree of strength despite the small height.

They exited and Baekhyun gave back the ladder, thanking again the lady at the reception with a lot of smiles and pleasantries, before they could exit definitely from the building.

“One of you can have the decency to explain me what the actual fuck you were doing without authorization on a crime scene _measuring things_?” Chanyeol asked them just outside of the museum and Baekhyun hummed shortly, picking up a cigarette from his jacket pocket and lighting it up.

“There are… inconsistencies in your theories, officer Park. All are made without considering the real setting of things, but only judging from the maps. And the times don’t match with what was stolen or the real time necessary to go from a place to another. Or the actual working of security systems inside the museums” Baekhyun started saying, puffing out some smoke before gesturing toward Jondae.

“I proposed Dae to double check today since the weather was nice and this wasn’t so far from the police station and we walk until here” Baekhyun added shrugging his shoulders, smoking the cigarette in silence, while Jondae nodded near him.

Chanyeol was always more perplexed.

Minseok called Baekhyun _Baekhyunnie_ and now Jondae was calling him _Baek_.

Baekhyun nicknamed Jondae, _Dae_.

They walked to the museum because _the weather was nice_ and the whole thing was just to measure distances that Jongin should have already taken?

He didn’t know where to start from pointing out what was wrong.

“Let me… rephrase it for you” Chanyeol started saying, fingers pressing on the bridge of his nose, trying to focus.

“You came out this morning, with no authorization, no permit, with Mr. Byun to come here and make some measurements that Jongin should have already done, just to prove the point that they were indeed wrong and we needed the ventilation plan?” Chanyeol asked them, frown getting deeper on his forehead and when Jondae nodded, Chanyeol sighed even deeper.

“What the fuck? When I tell you to speak with me and let me know what you are about to do, it’s because I fucking mean it! What if now they call the higher ranks asking why we came in today without any permit or authorization? We can’t do as we want” Chanyeol stated and he was angry, mainly with Jondae for not sharing the information with him, with Baekhyun for suggesting it, and with Jongin for not doing the work properly in the first place.

“They won’t” Baekhyun stated shortly puffing out some smoke before pushing the cigarette in a small portable ashtray, stare moving toward Chanyeol.

“Oh, and why you think so, your highness?” Chanyeol asked back, irony clear in his voice, making Baekhyun’s stare got suddenly colder.

“Because they know me. And I’m nobody probably at the moment, but I asked them a favor and they said okay. Nothing more, nothing less” Baekhyun explained shorty, walking down the stairs that there were in front of the museum.

“Yeah sure, on words” Chanyeol started saying but Baekhyun glared at him quickly.

“Listen, you want results and I’m trying my best with what I have. If you want to know every single thing I do, start follow around or let me do things that I will let you know in the evening, before going home” he stated briefly and when Chanyeol tried to retort that that weren’t the plans and that he had to behave, Baekhyun shook his head briefly.

“I’m already wasting my time here. I’m doing you a favor and losing money since my shop is closed in these days, and it’s almost Christmas moreover” Baekhyun added, frowning shortly, pushing his hands inside the pockets of his trousers.

And it was true that they actually needed Baekhyun because apparently he had good ideas and so on, but Chanyeol couldn’t take it anymore.

He couldn’t _babysit_ a smartass brat that wasn’t able to properly follow the basic order of _tell me what you are doing_.

Chanyeol wasn’t a patient man to start with, but Baekhyun clearly pissed him off _oh so quickly_.

“You know what, Byun? Go back to your _fucking_ shop and quit messing with these investigations” he concluded, gesturing Jondae to go toward the parking lot and following him there, leaving Baekhyun on the stairs.

“Chanyeol, what the hell are you doing?” Jondae asked him, sitting in the car after Chanyeol almost forced him to.

“Erasing problems from the beginning. I can’t work with someone so unruly as he is. We need to follow rules and protocols, Jondae. Even when we don’t like it. Because it’s our job and we have to do it like this” Chanyeol stated starting the engine and Jondae inhaled deeply.

“Listen, I’m sorry that I didn’t tell you but it’s not Baek’s fault. He had a great idea and I went with it. I didn’t want to burden you too much since you were already taken with everything” Jondae stated, voice getting lower, disappointed more than angry now.

“You don’t have to worry about me. I’m your superior and you have to report everything to me. Even if Byun has great idea, or what could seem like it” Chanyeol stated briefly, shaking his head.

Jondae wanted to state something but then he closed his mouth, stare shifting outside the window.

“Still we need him” Jondae whispered, shrugging his shoulders and Chanyeol inhaled deeply shaking his head.

“Sure, so that you can be all friends and happy, calling with childish nicknames?” Chanyeol retorted immediately, making Jondae frown deeply.

“Oh, come on, Yeol. Don’t be an ass now. You know I’m telling this because we _actually_ need him” Jondae stated angrily before inhaling deeply, trying to calm himself down.

“And if you weren’t as uptight as you are, you would know that he is really pleasant to be around. He’s funny and knows a lot of things, not only on the art field” Jondae added immediately, making Chanyeol shook his head again.

“We can do this even without him. Now stop thinking about it and focus on what we have to do next” Chanyeol concluded, earning himself a deep sigh and a short _yessir_.

He hated it when Jondae replied him like that, because it meant he was pissed off by Chanyeol’s behavior, but didn’t want to speak about it, especially because he didn’t find it a good argument that Chanyeol would actually listen and speak with him freely.

However, Chanyeol was too upset that afternoon to even start discussing with Jondae.

They had to find another way to solve that mess on their own.

Few weeks passed for that moment, and despite Baekhyun not being there, Chanyeol’s team members came with new suggestions on things that they didn’t explore yet or interesting reviews of already seen plans.

It was almost pleasant and stimulating and they managed to discover more things about those thefts, even though not enough to stop nor to prevent them.

It was Friday evening and in the shared office there were only Chanyeol and Jondae, all the others already went away.

Chanyeol realized it only in that moment, raising his stare from his laptop and noticing that there was only him and Jondae.

“Where are the others?” Chanyeol asked him and Jondae hummed briefly.

“Went home. I’ll go soon too… It’s almost eight, you know?” he replied shortly, shrugging his shoulders, not even glancing toward Chanyeol.

Jondae tried to act normal, but Chanyeol knew that he was still pissed off by the whole _Baekhyun_ matter.

And Chanyeol wasn’t fine with it.

He wanted Jondae back again as before, not messed up due to a smartass antiquities shop owner.

Chanyeol suddenly realized that it was Friday, day in which they usually gathered to eat together fried chicken.

“It’s… Friday today. Don’t you guys meet up?” Chanyeol asked Jondae who hummed briefly, barely nodding at him, focused as he was on some papers.

“Will you meet them there?” Chanyeol continued briefly, trying to understand if also that evening Jondae planned to meet the other members or not and Jondae nodded again.

“Eighty thirty at _Obsession_ ” Jondae replied almost in automate mode, since he was frowning even deeper reading something and attracting Chanyeol’s attention, making him sit up from where he was and standing behind Jondae and reading the papers too.

It was an article about _Fearless Light_ , with way too many details that they probably even revealed to the press.

Something old, though, that Chanyeol already discussed with the editor of said article.

“ _Obsession_ is quite distant from your usual meeting spot” Chanyeol commented shortly and Jondae immediately shrugged his shoulders.

“It’s easier to reach for everybody” he stated enigmatically and Chanyeol frowned briefly but didn’t give it too much weight.

“And… it’s okay if I come too tonight?” Chanyeol asked him, finally getting Jondae’s attention.

They stared at each other for a while before Jondae could nod shortly.

“Obviously. You are always more than welcomed” he stated, small smile appearing on his lips and Chanyeol was glad to have Jondae as his second in command.

It was a blessing.

And he would be surely also as friend, if Chanyeol would allow him to.

“Won’t we go then? It’s getting late” Chanyeol asked him, picking up the paper sheet Jondae had in his hands and putting it on his own desk, before picking up his jacket.

Jondae nodded briefly, sitting up too and taking his jacket too.

“Let me text the guys that you are coming too” Jondae stated fishing his phone from his pockets but Chanyeol shook his head.

“Don’t. Let surprise them” he stated briefly and Jondae frowned but nodded shortly, putting the phone away again.

Chanyeol closed the office and went down in the parking with Jondae speaking about small nothings, trying his best not to speak about the case and the thief and all the things that they always said to each other all day long.

He drove them until _Obsession_ that was a not so big, cozy local restaurant a bit outside Seoul city center.

And when they arrived, all the other members were already there, first round of beer already passing.

The only thing was that Baekhyun was with them too.

Why, Chanyeol didn’t know.

There was a small awkward silence in which Jondae wanted clearly to apologize for not telling the others that Chanyeol was coming too, the others didn’t know what to say and Baekhyun clearly felt a bit out of place.

However, he was the first one to speak up.

“I think… I’ll go” he stated sitting up and picking up the jacket that was leaning on the back of the chair, but Jondae stopped him briefly, earning himself a brief shake of head from Baekhyun.

“Don’t want to make the mood heavier. Please enjoy. We will meet another time” he breathed, forcing a short almost apologetical smile.

And Chanyeol didn’t know why Baekhyun was there or why he was meeting with everybody even while they shouldn’t have anything in common anymore.

He really didn’t know.

But both Jondae and Baekhyun seemed so sad by the outcome, that Chanyeol didn’t want to be the cause of that.

“Byun” Chanyeol spoke up, earning himself a frown from Baekhyun who stopped near Jondae before moving toward the exit.

“You can stay if you want. We can both try to be… civil about this? It’s just fried chicken and beer after all” Chanyeol stated trying to be friendly and if, at the beginning, Baekhyun’s frown got deeper, then he inhaled deeply, nodding and slightly patting on Jondae’s shoulders.

“Sure. I’ll do my best” he replied shortly before smiling softly toward Jondae.

“So we can finish that discourse of last time” he added, even if in a lower voice, almost secretive, making Jondae… _blush_?

What the hell was happening while Chanyeol was focused only on that task and his work?

They all sat down again, starting to eat and drink, mood getting definitely livelier than before.

And if at first Baekhyun was quite reserved, probably due to Chanyeol’s presence, then with a progressive amount of alcohol intake, he started behaving more normally, joking around, chuckling and laughing as loud as Jondae and Jongin.

“You should have seen your face” Baekhyun stated clapping his hand on Jondae’s thigh, loud smack resounding and Jondae whining about Baekhyun being _too fucking strong_.

Baekhyun chuckled again, shaking his head, before downing again another short glass of soju.

“You can keep alcohol well, Byun” Chanyeol noted shortly and Baekhyun got immediately quieter than before.

“Yeah, I… like drinking once in a while. Especially if the company is good” he replied shortly, small nod toward the table where all were sitting.

And despite Minseok and Junmyeon were surely older than Baekhyun, for a moment it felt like that Baekhyun was the _hyung_ of them all.

Suddenly it didn’t feel like it was a matter of physical age anymore, but how those years weighted on Baekhyun’s shoulders.

He didn’t seem a _brat_ anymore.

“They are good guys, you should praise them a bit more” Baekhyun whispered pouring himself another glass and pouring some to Chanyeol too, that neared his glass to Baekhyun.

“How do you…?” Chanyeol started saying but then everything had finally sense.

That place being nearer so that _everybody_ could gather easily.

 _Obsession_ was near to the district were Baekhyun had his shop.

And all those questions coming from the guys, probably came directly from Baekhyun who was helping them even though not through direct channel, meeting them with the excuse of chicken and beer.

“They care about you. Don’t be mad at them” Baekhyun added, pressing his lips in a thin line, not looking toward Chanyeol.

Chanyeol deeply breathed, feeling kind of stupid all of a sudden.

They all realized that without Baekhyun they wouldn’t have gone anywhere so found other ways to contact him and to meet him, prioritizing the success of that task more than personal interests.

Thing that Chanyeol completely forgot, letting instead his aversion toward Baekhyun led him astray and slowing the researches down.

And he was about to speak up, to share it with Baekhyun, maybe to ask him again to help them _officially_ , when Baekhyun forced a small smile toward him.

“Especially Dae. He… looks up at you. Don’t let him down” he breathed shortly, downing another glass before sitting up and reaching for Jondae, back-hugging him, surprising a slightly drunken Jondae.

“Ah, Baek, you need affection too like Seok? I can hug both, ya know?” Jondae asked him and Baekhyun chuckled softly, hugging both Jondae and Minseok.

“I can too” he replied, making both chuckle and his laugh was so pristine and bright that Chanyeol felt it echoing inside himself.

It was pleasant seeing them like that, and maybe Jondae was right, after all.

Maybe if Chanyeol wasn’t so uptight, he could see another side of Baekhyun too.

Maybe after all, he should have just let go a bit and take things as they came.

Even though it was a strange thing to realize while he was looking at Baekhyun laughing with Chanyeol’s own collaborators, smile so bright and bringing that same smile on the others’ lips too.

“I think I’m wasted now…” Jondae muttered, carding his fingers through his hair and Baekhyun snorted shortly, shaking his head even though his cheeks were reddish too.

“Drive you home?” Baekhyun breathed, patting on Jondae’s shoulders, making him nod shortly, sitting up from where he was sitting, slightly wobbling.

“I think it’s the best decision, uh?” he muttered leaning his head on Baekhyun’s shoulder, making Baekhyun chuckle softly, circling Jondae’s shoulders with his arm, turning around all the others.

“Someone else needs a lift home?” Baekhyun asked them and they all shook their head, making Baekhyun nod shortly too.

“See you around, guys. Thanks for the evening” Baekhyun breathed, picking up his wallet to pay his and probably Jondae’s share too, but Junmyeon stopped him.

“It’s my turn tonight. Thanks for delivering home Jondae-ha” he stated and Baekhyun smiled softly, messing Jondae’s hair and earning himself a loud whine from him.

“G’night” he concluded, _guiding_ Jondae’s out of the shop and leaving them alone.

Chanyeol leant his back on the chair before pouring a bit more of soju in his glass and the others sat nearer to him, filling in Baekhyun and Jondae’s empty seats.

“Don’t be mad with Jondae-ha, boss” Minseok stated shortly speaking toward Chanyeol who frowned shortly, stare looking toward him, perplexed.

Minseok huffed briefly, shaking his head on the other side of the table, taking also away the soju bottle from Jongin who was drinking more and more without realizing that he was more than wasted already.

“He is referring to the fact that Jondae-ha was the one who invited Baekhyunnie here for the first time. It was a thing like tonight, we were waiting for him but he showed up with Baekhyunnie, saying that they met casually and he invited him in. We were… a bit surprised at the beginning, but he’s really a good company, always so cool and smiling. He is really well-known and liked by almost everybody here” Minseok explained, petting Jongin’s hair that just leant his head on Minseok’s shoulder.

Chanyeol frowned, emptying his glass, stare not leaving Minseok and Junmyeon.

“What do you think about him?” he asked them and Junmyeon inhaled deeply, fingers carding through his hair before stretching toward the soju bottle and pouring himself a bit more.

“Honestly?” he retorted immediately, looking toward Chanyeol and, heavens, if he was death serious.

Chanyeol probably never saw Junmyeon that serious if not when he was elaborating end-month schedules.

He nodded briefly and Junmyeon gulped down the whole glass before speaking up.

“He is a smart ass, but I like him. There’s something in him, boss, something that make me think that he saw a lot in his life and despite his carefree and almost _don’t give a damn_ attitude, he is something else” Junmyeon stated shortly making Chanyeol frown, but Minseok was already nodding too.

“I don’t know much of him either, but it looks like he really is something else, like Myeon says. Baekhyunnie seems to be way older than his actual age” Minseok added briefly, pouring himself another glass too, glancing cutely toward Jongin that was almost asleep on his shoulder.

Chanyeol hummed, nodding in thought.

“And about all this matter, what do you think? Is he reliable?” Chanyeol asked them briefly, fingers going to play with the border of the glass wetting it with a drop of soju remained on the glass.

Minseok hummed in thought but it was Junmyeon to speak up.

“He is proficient. Way too much… I don’t know where he learnt or what school he made, but Baekhyun-ha is way too reliable and interested and competent even on police techniques” he observed, shrugging his shoulders, making Chanyeol inhale deeply, pressing his lips in a thin line.

He wasn’t sure if he wanted to share what he knew about Baekhyun with them or no, but in the end he thought that both were great detectives but also great humans, so they would give him a good advice for sure.

“He… never worked for any of those museums, _officially_. After his graduation with all lodes, nothing until he opened this antiquities shop he still owns. Nothing more, nothing less” Chanyeol whispered and both frowned shortly, clearly as surprised and perplexed as he was when he first read the information on Baekhyun’s bio.

“It’s impossible, boss. I mean, what the hell? He can’t be a simple fan of crime movies” Junmyeon retorted immediately and Minseok shook his head too, clearly agreeing with Junmyeon.

Chanyeol shrugged his shoulders clearly not knowing a thing about that.

Minseok hummed in thought again before biting slightly his bottom lip.

“I could ask to Mark, of internal affairs. Maybe he knows something? I heard they had few… interesting collaborations with civilians during these years” Minseok stated briefly, fingers carding through his hair and picking up his phone from his pockets.

Chanyeol shook his head shortly though, refusing the idea for a while.

“Let’s wait a bit. Let me observe him better before involving outsiders. I don’t want to put any danger on our team, nor on other people” Chanyeol objected and his sentence was final, clearly having no more than that.

There was a small silence and then Junmyeon nodded toward Chanyeol.

“Does this mean that you want to ask him again to come and help us with the investigations?” Junmyeon asked him softly, brief smile appearing on his lips and making Chanyeol huff exasperated but nodding.

“Yeah, you guys already bonded so well with him and if he’s as reliable and trustworthy as you say, then maybe I’ll… back off from what I previously said” Chanyeol stated and he _knew_ that he never went back on his words, but that time _maybe_ it was the case, especially when all the members of his trusted squad said the same about Baekhyun being reliable.

Even though he didn’t know already when or how he would go to Baekhyun asking him finally to come back and work with them once for all.

“You _never_ go back on what you said, boss” Junmyeon noted shortly and Chanyeol rolled his eyes pouring himself one last glass of soju.

“I’m tired, I’m going home, and you should too. Let me settle the bill for tonight. I caused already so much commotion at the start of the evening and you can brag about it with your juniors” Chanyeol stated sitting up and taking the jacket with him, fishing his wallet from it.

“Oh, such an honor, boss. Thanks” Junmyeon said, chuckling softly and sitting up too, looking toward Minseok.

“Do you need a lift, Seok?” he asked and Minseok nodded, gesturing toward Jongin still asleep on his shoulder.

“He can sleep at mine for tonight. Tomorrow he will have one of the best hungover of his life, but I’m fine with giving him my sofa” Junmyeon retorted briefly and Minseok chuckled, nodding shortly and helping Jongin up.

“Come up, big boy. We have to go home” Minseok breathed and after some greetings, they went away too.

Chanyeol waived briefly at them before going to pay the bill and exiting in the late night.

It was more or less midnight and Chanyeol felt a bit tired and not so willing to even _think_ about a way to speak and _apologize_ with Baekhyun.

He groaned lowly, messing his hair up and deciding to go home, postponing the whole thought at the day after.

_The day after_ , though, arrived too early.

He woke up and took a shower before having breakfast, scrolling down the news on his phone, while thinking about how it was the proper way to ask Baekhyun to come back and help them actively and not through his team members.

He didn’t know why Baekhyun rubbed so wrongly on him, but he knew for sure that he had to find a way to tell him that he was actually _needed_ , Chanyeol wanting it or not.

And once in a while, he decided to go for the most honest speech he could do.

Chanyeol wrote a message to Jondae telling him that he would go slightly later to work and that they could start without him, before going and putting on some decent clothes, instead of his home attire.

Jondae wrote him a short _you are not young as before, you shouldn’t drink this much_ to which Chanyeol replied with an equally brief _fuck off_ but he was more than decided in doing what he was about to do.

After telling Junmyeon that he wanted to ask Baekhyun to come back again helping them, it didn’t make sense showing up with _no Baekhyun_.

He drove silently toward Baekhyun’s shop, trying different sentences in his head and trying to figure out how Baekhyun would reply to it.

The weather was rainy that day too and Chanyeol came with the umbrella for the short way from the parking to Baekhyun’s shop, finding it close.

He read better the sign on the door, stating that opening hours was nine o’clock.

It was ten to nine so Chanyeol waited shortly outside it.

“Are you waiting for the owner?” a girlish voice asked him shortly and Chanyeol turned around looking at the girl that just spoke up, perfect uniform and styled hair, messenger bag and light make up.

Probably teenagers, more than thirteen but less than nineteen.

“Yeah. Are you waiting for him too?” he asked trying to be polite, even though he wasn’t exactly used to speak with teenage girls.

“I’m his neighbor. Baekhyun-ssi will be late today” she stated briefly, cheeks getting slightly redder and Chanyeol frowned shortly at the blush.

“How do you know?” Chanyeol asked him and she blushed even harder, shaking her head.

“I… heard him waking up way later than usual and he was swearing so bad, so yeah. Late” she replied honestly and Chanyeol wanted to chuckle.

Baekhyun was really popular also with teenage girls.

“Thanks for telling me” he simply retorted and she bowed shortly before walking away under her white dotted pink umbrella.

He waited for almost fifteen minutes, observing the shops opening up, people starting to walk around in the streets, crowding them with colorful umbrellas before he could hear a known voice.

“Is it Monday today? Because I’ve already had my share of bad luck and you being here don’t bring any luck either, officer” Baekhyun stated behind him and Chanyeol turned around seeing him almost drenched, wet hair sticking messily on his forehead and looking like a doused puppy.

“What the hell, Byun! Umbrellas exist for a reason” he retorted immediately, moving his own umbrella to cover Baekhyun who shook his head, raindrops falling messily around.

“Hush you. I was late and didn’t find my foldable umbrella, but I don’t have bigger ones” Baekhyun groaned, moving toward the door of the shop and picking up a bundle of keys that could weight approximatively kilos more than grams.

There were at least fifty different keys on the same keyring with few cute keychains too.

“Are you gatekeeper of something, Byun?” Chanyeol asked him perplexed by the number of keys present, making Baekhyun shook his head, picking up a longer key and inserting in the lock, opening up the shop.

He left the door opened for Chanyeol to follow him.

“No, I… have several keys for my home, the shop, some safes, bank safe and, uhm, ah yeah my storehouse” Baekhyun stated nearing the ebony desk and kneeling down, clearly looking up for something.

He stood up immediately, bringing with him a towel, a t-shirt and a different hoodie compared to the one he was wearing.

Baekhyun took off his jacket and started drying his hair with the small dark towel.

“Spit out, officer. You are not here without a reason and if it’s about my friendship with Dae, I’m sorry it was unplanned, but pleasantly happened. I’m not trying anything to mine you nor your authority inside your team” Baekhyun breathed, ruffling his hair with the towel, clearly trying his best to dry them as much as possible.

Chanyeol thought that he looked even more like a puppy in that moment.

“I’m not here for this, relax. You being friend or not with Jondae is not my problem and I’m not feeling _menaced_ in any mean” Chanyeol retorted almost immediately, pressing his lips in a thin line.

Baekhyun chuckled softly before surrendering to the idea of drying his hair and putting down the towel before… _taking off his hoodie and t-shirt_.

Chanyeol’s eyes went wider in surprise, not expecting Baekhyun to be almost half-naked in front of him so suddenly.

Baekhyun was broad for his slender build, shoulder being wider than Chanyeol could imagine from his baggy hoodies and t-shirts.

Baekhyun quickly picked up the new t-shirt and quickly disappeared again in comfy clothes, stare finally moving again toward Chanyeol.

“So? What brings you here, officer? Want to scold me for, what was it, messing with your investigations?” Baekhyun asked back at him, smirk briefly appearing on his lips and… he looked so young and so small in that attire, messy hair clearly still drenched.

Chanyeol inhaled deeply before closing his eyes and speaking up, slowly, trying to contain his voice and being clear without letting that attitude having the worst of him.

“I… know that I was unfair toward you, especially when you were trying to help us, but I’m strict as hell, as probably Jondae and the others already told you. And I like things being done _my way_ and following rules. Rules are here to be respected and maintained, not to be broken” he started saying, opening again his eyes and looking back at Baekhyun, finding his stare already on him, attentive but ready to listen, not defensive as usual.

And that put Chanyeol on a lighter spot, even on what he wanted to say.

“And I know I’m difficult to be around and that we didn’t start in the right way, but… I’m here to apologize and ask you to really help us this time. We can, uhm, find an agreement and not hating on each other too much, at least when we are at the headquarter trying to catch that fucking thief” Chanyeol concluded forcing a short smile toward Baekhyun who was looking at him in a way that Chanyeol couldn’t quite process.

“I can be unpredictable” Baekhyun started saying and Chanyeol was about to interject when Baekhyun continued: “and stubborn. Smartass, as you say, and know-all. My focus lasts too short when I’m low on caffeine or food. And I can fall asleep everywhere. If that’s fine for you, and you are ready to follow me around or trusting one of your team members enough to follow me around, I’m okay with it” Baekhyun declared seriously, expression clearly looking, searching in Chanyeol’s own stare.

And Chanyeol felt like Baekhyun was reading his soul, trying to understand what Chanyeol really thought about that, if he was fine in having Baekhyun back in that case, but following Baekhyun’s rules too.

Chanyeol inhaled deeply, fingers carding through his hair, before nodding.

“At one condition” Chanyeol added immediately and Baekhyun frowned shortly, nodding, gesturing toward Chanyeol, letting him speak.

“I will follow you around and we will do things _following rules_. And not because I don’t trust my guys, but because I know that you are a little brat that will try to convince them as you did with Jondae and I won’t let you do the same” Chanyeol stated, smirk appearing on his lips and Baekhyun snorted, shaking his head.

“Yessir, I will be under your attentive stare and guidance” Baekhyun retorted briefly picking up the package of cigarette from his pockets and lightening one up.

Or at least, trying to, since his lighter seemed to be totally uncooperative.

He picked another one from under the cashier, lightening up the cigarette and puffing smoke on the other side of where Chanyeol was standing.

Chanyeol found strangely enthralling how young Baekhyun was looking and in the meantime, as he felt the night prior, he seemed to be weighted down by way more years than he actually had.

“If that’s fine for you, Byun, we can go whenever you want. The others are waiting” Chanyeol stated, making Baekhyun chuckle softly, puffing out some more smoke.

“What the… You were so sure I would say yes?” Baekhyun retorted immediately and Chanyeol let out a small, soft, chuckle, nodding.

“Come on, you tried to help us even while you shouldn’t have. You kind of find this case interesting, and we can all tell it” Chanyeol observed shortly, shrugging his shoulders, but smile not leaving his lips and Baekhyun looked at him perplexed before exploding in a sound laugh made of light and smoke.

“Let’s go, officer, before I change my mind” he stated, picking up his keys and gesturing toward the door.

Chanyeol nodded briefly and exited the shop, followed by Baekhyun who closed up again the shop, putting the _We are closed today_ sign outside.

Chanyeol opened his umbrella and waited for Baekhyun since he knew that he didn’t have one himself.

Baekhyun looked at him perplexed before shaking his head.

“Forget it, officer. I won’t share the umbrella with you” Baekhyun stated but Chanyeol was already glaring at him.

“And I won’t allow you to get drenched again. Come, I parked the car slightly farther than usual today” Chanyeol retorted immediately and when Baekhyun tried to interject, Chanyeol glared at him again, making his best intimidating face, making Baekhyun sigh briefly in defeat.

“Fine, _fine_ ” he breathed, finally nearing Chanyeol under the umbrella but keeping a discreet distance between them.

Chanyeol huffed briefly, realizing that Baekhyun was half-way out of the umbrella.

“What the hell, Byun, come closer” he breathed and when Baekhyun didn’t make any gesture to close the distance that still was between them, Chanyeol neared him, angling the umbrella differently so that he could cover him better.

“There’s no need, officer, for such a light rain” Baekhyun breathed but Chanyeol clicked his tongue without commenting anything more and Baekhyun stayed near, defeated.

They walked in silence toward where Chanyeol parked his car and he had to admit it, Baekhyun had some kind of charm.

Looking from that close, Chanyeol could see how Baekhyun’s skin was smooth, almost honey-like and his features were good, looking manly but in a graceful way.

And he had a nice scent too, something fruity maybe coming from some shampoo or cream Baekhyun used.

“Do I have something on my face?” Baekhyun asked him briefly, shortly glancing toward him, clearly catching Chanyeol staring and Chanyeol immediately shifted his stare away, shaking his head.

“At all, just you look like a small chick with your hair still wet” Chanyeol stated earning himself a glare from Baekhyun who frowned, clicking his tongue.

“Said the light pole” he retorted and Chanyeol had to bite down his lips not to reply badly to Baekhyun’s affirmation, even though he knew that like that he saved himself from explaining why he was staring at Baekhyun.

Once in the car, Chanyeol drove them safely until the police station and when they entered the shared office with all the other members, there was a loud cheer from _everyone_ in the room.

“Y’all owe me!” Jondae cheered louder than the others, making Junmyeon smile and Minseok shake his head.

Baekhyun was smiling softly too, before he could near the big board with all the details of the case pinned to it.

His stare roamed through all the things there, trying to understand what he still didn’t know about that case, but it seemed more or less like he knew everything about it, immediately turning around, facing the others.

“Thanks for having me back. Let’s do our best to catch this jerk!” he stated and all the others cheered clapping their hands.

Baekhyun immediately started asking probably all the questions he wanted to ask since that investigation started and he was even remotely involved.

This time, though, Chanyeol observed him, not letting Jondae _filter_ whatever behaviors could or could not have and, fuck, Junmyeon was right.

There were behaviors, ideas, ways of thinking that was oh so common in police and, yeah, Baekhyun couldn’t be only _a huge fan_ of crime dramas.

And not only that, he had some proficiency as a profiler too, apparently, seeing how easily he could read other people’s behavior.

“Can I have a full list of all the things the _Thunder thief_ stole?” Baekhyun asked toward them and Minseok gave him one, making him frown at the increased amount.

However, differently from what Chanyeol expected, he didn’t comment in any way, accusing Chanyeol of being his fault for being so asshole and picky on letting or not Baekhyun work with them.

It was the best possibility, served on a silver plate only for Baekhyun to tease Chanyeol endlessly and instead Baekhyun intentionally didn’t pick it up, letting it slide as it came.

And it was clear the influence of Jondae’s friendship, since the term _Thunder thief_ came even easier than _Fearless Light_.

Chanyeol didn’t want to but he was really thinking almost something good of Baekhyun?

_Really?_

Impossible.

“Officer Park, are you with us?” Baekhyun called, distracting him from his thought and Chanyeol realized that everyone was looking at him, perplexed and slightly worried.

“I… wasn’t listening. Which was the question?” he asked shortly and both Jondae and Baekhyun frowned briefly before joking on Chanyeol’s inattention.

“He was still daydreaming” Baekhyun whispered and Jondae shook his head shortly.

“I told him that he’s too old for drinking that much” Jondae commented shrugging his shoulders and shaking his head, making Baekhyun chuckle softly.

“How come the two of you are so fresh today?” Chanyeol asked them and Jondae beamed making a V sign with his fingers.

“Water and painkillers” he replied while Baekhyun shrugged his shoulders replying with a soft _coffee_ , like that could be the answer to all world’s problems.

And maybe it was.

Chanyeol inhaled deeply, fingers carding through his hair, before looking toward Junmyeon and asking him to bring some coffee for everybody.

And finally realizing that Jongin wasn’t there.

“And where in the world is Jongin?” he asked briefly, frowning deeply, eyes roaming on the room and noticing that Jongin’s things were there though.

“I think he’s preparing _rivers_ of coffee at the moment. He felt like shit this morning” Junmyeon replied, pressing his lips in a thin line, and Minseok was about to ask if it wasn’t the case to go and check on him when Jongin entered the office with almost two liters of coffee in four different pots.

“I bring coffee. Because… _yes_ ” Jongin stated putting it down and picking up some paper cup too.

They thanked him and after a small break, Jondae looked toward Chanyeol finally repeating the question, without all the joking of before.

“Baek was asking about checking if those pieces were already resold on the black market or something like that” Jondae stated briefly and Chanyeol hummed in thought, fingers carding again through his hair, trying to understand what was better to do.

“We could ask Zhang” he suggested even though he didn’t quite like the idea.

Asking unofficially a hand, like Chanyeol did before, was a thing, but asking officially a hand meant risking losing that case and being it transferred to anti-money laundering.

And it was the very last thing Chanyeol wanted.

He knew that his team could catch that fucking thief and he hated the idea of people working on that case instead of them.

“Who is _Zhang_?” Baekhyun asked them, frowning, and Jondae hummed, scrunching his nose.

“Zhang Yixing, anti-money laundering. The very boss of it” Jondae replied briefly and Baekhyun made a disgusted face, shaking his head, exposing Chanyeol’s same thought.

“Yeah, and what if the reply is _yes_? They will remove you from the case immediately, passing it to this Mr. Zhang” Baekhyun stated decidedly and they all shook their heads.

“Over my dead body” Jongin groaned, before gulping down another cup of coffee, probably the fourth or fifth.

Baekhyun chuckled softly, but it seemed to be a shared thought of everybody else in that room, not only Jongin’s.

Perfect, because it was exactly Chanyeol’s too.

“I… can check a bit more informally, if it’s okay for you” Baekhyun stated, looking toward Chanyeol that frowned deeply, lips already parting in a question.

That Baekhyun was already replying to.

“I have an antiquities shop. If I pretend to have a buyer for one of these objects, I will know for sure if someone has it or if they are selling it on the black market. _Without disturbing Mr. Zhang_ ” he explained immediately, smirk easily appearing on his lips, and Chanyeol closed his eyes briefly, fingers pressing on the bridge of his nose.

He knew already that _that_ would be a _really bad idea_.

However, did they have another choice?

Without asking Yixing and risking that they removed them from that case?

“Everything under my watch” he granted, reopening his eyes and staring at Baekhyun who nodded shortly.

“I’m on leash, you know that already. Won’t go anywhere you can’t see and won’t do anything without you knowing” Baekhyun stated voice flat, no joke but not even serious.

All the others frowned, perplexed, but Baekhyun shrugged his shoulders.

“The terms for being able to help you out” Baekhyun explained briefly and Chanyeol earned himself at the same time four different glares from his teammates.

“Boss…” Junmyeon started but Chanyeol shook his head frantically.

“Ah, no. I don’t want to hear _anything_. These are my conditions and he said that they were fine for him too, so no pitying anybody and just work on our focus” Chanyeol declared categorically, making Baekhyun chuckle softly, smirk easily appearing on his lips.

“Your boss is really something else, guys. No joking at all and work, work, work and… _work_. So let’s work” he added, shrugging his shoulders before folding the paper that Minseok gave him and nodding toward Chanyeol.

“I need things from my shop if you want me to try and contact some sellers to see if they know something about these items. Want to tag along or I’m free to go? I’ll be back in forty minutes with my laptop” Baekhyun explained briefly, gesturing toward the door and Chanyeol hummed briefly before moving from where he was leaning on the desk.

“I’ll stick around. Just to know that you won’t go astray” Chanyeol replied quickly, shrugging his shoulders, picking up his jacket and the umbrella.

Even though the real reason wasn’t that.

And neither the laptop.

But Baekhyun came there with Chanyeol’s car and without umbrella and, judging from the sound on the windows, outside was still raining quite strongly.

Baekhyun snorted, shaking his head, clearly unhappy of that apparent display of distrust, but took his jacket and greeted the others nevertheless, letting Chanyeol following him out of the police station and to the car.

He didn’t comment in any way, and instead he was uncharacteristically silent.

And he stayed silent for all the way to the shop, where he showed Chanyeol a backdoor, without passing from the front to enter the shop.

“Almost a secret passage” Chanyeol commented and Baekhyun hummed shortly, nodding, but didn’t add anything more.

Chanyeol was perplexed by that silence, but he didn’t care much about that.

He didn’t have to be Baekhyun’s friend.

They had to work together in order to prevent that fucking thief from doing other thefts.

Nothing more, nothing less.

And it wasn’t Chanyeol’s business if Baekhyun did or didn’t want to befriend him either.

Nor if he didn’t want to speak with him of anything apart from work.

Baekhyun started looking behind the ebony desk, sure that he would have find it there, but apparently he was mistaking.

He frowned deeply, clicking his tongue, before smacking his forehead with his hand.

“I left it at home, two days ago… I brought it home to finish that damn end of the month report” Baekhyun breathed, shaking his head and he seemed a bit exhausted.

“Let’s go there, then” Chanyeol stated like it was the most obvious thing and Baekhyun inhaled deeply, nodding.

“Not a chance that you don’t come upstairs with me?” Baekhyun asked him briefly, frown easily showing on his face, and Chanyeol looked at him perplexed.

“Your house is really that bad?” he retorted, voice clearly perplexed and Baekhyun pressed his lips in a thin line.

“Flat, not house. A damn flat, smaller than fifty square meters. And in which it reigns an everlasting disorder. But sure, you are welcome” Baekhyun whispered, picking up again all the keys and exiting from the back door from where they entered.

He walked back in silence until a small gray building, no more than eight floors.

Baekhyun took the elevator until the fourth floor and then sixty-one apartment.

His keys clinked between each other while he was opening the door, keeping it open for Chanyeol to enter and… it was _small_.

The main room was a small kitchen plus dining room plus living room and then there were two other doors, probably a bedroom and the bathroom.

Apart from a small balcony where Chanyeol could see a small drying rack, that was it.

Nothing more, nothing less.

Chanyeol’s apartment was a villa compared to that.

“It’s… small” Chanyeol noted briefly, making Baekhyun chuckle.

“Your sense of observation is acute, officer. Who would have said it?” Baekhyun retorted, leaning down to pick up his laptop from the short table in front of the small couch.

And Chanyeol wanted to comment something more when under a pile of art books, noted the corner of a yellow folder.

But it wasn’t a _normal_ yellow folder.

It was one of _police yellow folders_.

Why Baekhyun had one?

And what was there inside?

However, he didn’t manage to ask, a bit because Baekhyun was already shooing him out of the house and a bit because, despite being curious, didn’t want to know more about that, asking Baekhyun about it, building a bond that neither of them wanted.

Even though it was strange and maybe it could be that Baekhyun had other agreements with Seoul police?

Or that he was somehow involved in something else?

Chanyeol both wanted and not wanted to know.

“Officer, you are spacing out again. You sure you didn’t catch anything? Despite not being very cold, it’s quite humid these days” Baekhyun asked him, probably after asking him another thing too, to which Chanyeol didn’t reply.

Chanyeol chuckled shortly, shaking his head.

“Don’t tell me you are worrying about me, Byun. I could start crying” Chanyeol retorted immediately, earning himself a glare from Baekhyun who clicked his tongue, shifting his stare away and restarting the silent treatment.

“Which was the question?” Chanyeol asked him but Baekhyun shrugged his shoulders.

“It was nothing. Let’s go back to the others so that we can do something productive” Baekhyun replied, even though his voice was lower than before and his tone not as joking as before.

And they were exiting Baekhyun’s building when it started snowing, big fat snowflakes slowly drifting in the air.

Baekhyun stopped briefly, stretching his hand, palm up to gather some snowflakes, stare sparkling gently, excitement clearly showing up.

“Do you like snow?” Chanyeol asked him briefly and it was just a question, something easy, a simple observation since Baekhyun was so enthralled by it, but Baekhyun shook his head, immediately pushing his hands in his pockets, shifting his stare away and not saying anything more.

There were things about Baekhyun that Chanyeol didn’t understand.

Baekhyun was indeed a smartass brat who acted like he knew everything, with a flirty smirk and the fake appearance of a teenager, when he actually was well toned and broad under his baggy clothes.

However, in the meantime, he was also way stronger and older than what he showed.

And way more secretive.

There were so many things about Baekhyun that were secrets or still obscure.

Even for a police officer like Chanyeol.

Which was… strange.

That hole in Baekhyun’s story from his graduation until the moment he opened the antiquities shop, kind of concerned Chanyeol.

What happened during that time?

Baekhyun said that he _worked_ with some museums but why there wasn’t any trace of it?

And why everybody knew Baekhyun, but nobody _really_ knew Baekhyun?

They went back to the station, where the other were waiting for them to return.

Baekhyun settled down on Jondae’s desk, the latter way too happy to let Baekhyun take his seat.

Baekhyun and Jondae worked together on the laptop, since Chanyeol knew really few of computer and all those IT things like IP tracking, host and things like that.

And Chanyeol didn’t know why but seeing Jondae working that close to Baekhyun gave him a weird feeling.

Jondae was pretty selective on friends and _people he generally liked_.

It took Chanyeol almost two years to become friends with him.

And it took Jondae almost three years to warm up to Junmyeon and Jongin.

Without considering how much he was still unclear with Minseok, a weird limbo between colleagues, acquaintances and friends.

Instead with Baekhyun he clicked in immediately.

They knew from less than one month and Chanyeol didn’t know how much time they spent together in the end, but they were _too damn close_.

Did Jondae fall for Baekhyun?

Chanyeol knew that Jondae was bisexual, accepting both female and male partners, but to fall that quickly for Baekhyun?

Baekhyun chuckled softly, throwing his arm around Jondae’s shoulders, pulling him near and ruffling his hair, earning himself a loud whine.

“You are so damn good, Dae” Baekhyun praised him and Jondae beamed at him, cheeks getting rosier.

“You did everything already. I did nothing” Jondae retorted immediately but Baekhyun started insisting that Jondae was good in that computer stuff and Chanyeol coughed shortly, attracting the others’ attention.

“Can we keep it down, guys? We are not a kindergarten” Chanyeol stated, tone hard and frown showing on his forehead.

The silence that followed, made only of soft murmurs and browsing sheets, pleased Chanyeol more than before, focusing a bit on his own e-mails and pending tasks.

That same silence didn’t stop until lunch break when Minseok sat up, smiling briefly toward the others.

“Break? Cafeteria should open in few minutes” Minseok suggested, hands gesturing toward the cafeteria and Chanyeol nodded shortly.

“Yeah, go ahead. I’ll reach you guys later” Chanyeol replied, earning himself a worried stare from Jondae.

“Chanyeol, you should eat something too. It’s since this morning…” Jondae started saying trying to convince Chanyeol to go with them but Chanyeol stopped him immediately, shaking his head.

“I’m not hungry at the moment. Go ahead and find a pass for Byun so that he can come along with you” he retorted shortly, not even raising his stare from what he was doing, but Baekhyun spoke up.

“It’s not needed. I’ll walk to the convenience store around the corner so that I can smoke too. I feel like going crazy at the moment” Baekhyun breathed and Chanyeol looked at him, frowning.

Baekhyun inhaled deeply, fingers carding through his hair.

“Come on, officer. It’s five minutes-walk, a cigarette and a cream pan. I won’t do anything strange, I won’t flee and I won’t set fire to the police station. Can I go alone?” Baekhyun whispered like it was the most obvious thing and Chanyeol hummed before shaking his head.

Both Jondae and Baekhyun huffed shortly.

“Yeol, really…” Jondae started saying but Baekhyun chuckled bitterly, shaking his head too.

“I suppose you will come back at home with me too, tonight. I’m not up to share my bed though, you have to take the couch” he joked briefly, making Chanyeol snort, shrugging his shoulders.

“As long as I can, I’ll check you out. When you are out of here, after our day is over, you can go home alone, as usual” Chanyeol retorted softly, gesturing toward the door with his head.

“Who told you that I go home alone at night?” he objected immediately, making Chanyeol’s eyes go wider in surprise.

Baekhyun was… in a relationship?

It didn’t seem like that for the small flat that Chanyeol saw that morning.

And Jondae, if he was really interested in Baekhyun, knew about that?

Baekhyun sighed again, shaking his head before sitting up and picking his jacket.

“I still need a cigarette, both if you come along or not and I’m going _now_ ” he concluded, patting his trousers and fishing the package, putting one of those between his lips without lighting it up.

Chanyeol sat up too, taking his own jacket and putting it on.

“See you later. Enjoy your lunch break” Baekhyun breathed gently smiling toward Jondae before going out of the room and then of the building too.

He was barely outside and he was already lighting his cigarette, swearing against the small colorful lighter that wasn’t working properly again.

“Damn it, I need a new one” he breathed, after the lighter worked shortly just to partially light his cigarette up.

Baekhyun breathed in some smoke, lighting it better, before picking it up between his finger and puffing out some smoke, shoulders clearly relaxing at the sensation.

“Finally” he whispered, pulling up better the collar of his jacket as he started walking toward the nearest convenience store.

Chanyeol followed him, opening again the umbrella and almost running after Baekhyun so that he could cover Baekhyun up too.

“You are really that willing to catch a cold?” Chanyeol asked him, making Baekhyun snort shortly, shaking his head.

“I never caught something since… middle school? Despite the appearance, I can be pretty tough” Baekhyun replied softly, smoking slowly and puffing the smoke on the opposite part of where Chanyeol was walking.

Baekhyun did that frequently, gesture that was almost… _kind_ seeing how Baekhyun was in Chanyeol’s eyes.

“You mean despite being _short_?” Chanyeol retorted immediately, sentence leaving his lips even before Chanyeol could think about it and knowing that it would surely piss off Baekhyun.

Baekhyun clicked his tongue, glaring at him, but despite everything he simply stayed silent, again deciding on ignoring Chanyeol’s comment instead of replying.

He was clearly restraining himself even though Chanyeol didn’t know exactly for which reason.

And he wanted to inquire further, but Baekhyun’s phone started ringing, making Baekhyun finish quickly his cigarette before replying.

“Yah, give me some good news” he spat out after reading the caller ID on the screen.

Not that Chanyeol _spied_ it, he just casually saw that it was _Mister Y_.

The tone was pretty informal to be toward someone whose name was _Mister Y_.

Who was the person Baekhyun was talking to?

There was a small silence, Chanyeol couldn’t hear a thing coming from Baekhyun’s phone, volume probably being on the lowest.

“Can’t talk now. Be brief” Baekhyun retorted, frowning, shaking his head and when the caller said something more, Baekhyun let out a pristine laugh, eyes forming small crescent and smile opening wider on his face.

He looked younger than usual and way more carefree.

Chanyeol found him almost cute.

Even if he knew that it wasn’t exactly the right way to consider Baekhyun.

Baekhyun listened silently again and then pinched his lips, clearly lost in thought.

“Fine, fine… I got it, cut the crap. Text you back with the hour and place. See ya” he concluded and, barely waiting for the caller’s greeting, he closed the call, almost throwing the phone in his pockets, lighting himself another cigarette, this time with a bit of difficulties due to the not exactly working lighter.

“Everything’s fine?” Chanyeol asked, interested, looking at him smoking slowly, eyes briefly closing again appreciating the burning of the smoke or the taste of nicotine.

“Yeah, one of my contacts asking me about that insertion I put asking about the things stolen by your friend. He’s… _interested_ too” he replied, humming in thought, while bringing again the cigarette on his lips, drawing longer from it seeing that they were practically in front of the convenience store.

“Interested in which sense?” Chanyeol asked him, sheltering them both under the store awning, closing his umbrella.

Baekhyun finished his cigarette pressing it down the small portable ashtray he had in the internal pocket of his jacket.

“In the sense that he could know someone who own one of those items” Baekhyun replied shrugging his shoulders, like the matter wasn’t important, but Chanyeol was already widening his eyes in surprise.

It wasn’t neither few hours since when Baekhyun posted about having a possible buyer looking for some of the stolen items and there was already someone who wanted to sell them?

How many people Baekhyun knew?

And how true was this possibility?

Chanyeol was about to ask Baekhyun to let him go with him at the meeting, so that he could understand things better but Baekhyun was already stopping him with a short gesture of his hand.

“Forget it. Your whole appearance screams _cop_ in capital letters. I won’t bring you with me at that encounter” he stated and his tone was categorical, definitive and not letting Chanyeol any way to reply.

“Neither one of the guys?” Chanyeol tried, voice lower, but Baekhyun shook his head, glaring at him.

“You will have to trust me for two hours, not more. I won’t mess things up” Baekhyun spat out and at Chanyeol’s unbelieving stare, he clicked his tongue, entering the shop, leaving Chanyeol outside.

Chanyeol followed him inside and Baekhyun had already picked up a bit of junk food from the fridges area, proceeding toward the _chips isle_.

“Is that your lunch?” Chanyeol asked him and Baekhyun inhaled deeply before turning toward Chanyeol, stopping in the middle of the isle.

“Listen, I know you don’t fucking stand me and the feeling is the same from my part. But can you please shut your mouth for five minutes, letting me live? You need my help with this matter and I will help you, but stop judging every single thing I do or say, it’s getting on my nerves” Baekhyun breathed and more than annoyed or upset, he seemed to be tired and dejected.

And even before Chanyeol could comment in any way, Baekhyun carded his fingers through his hair, shifting his stare away.

“I promised Dae I would be… more tolerant. And less edgy. But you are tiring me off, officer. And I’m not a patient man” Baekhyun added, stare finally returning to Chanyeol, this time with an intensity there wasn’t before.

Baekhyun was a smartass know-all shorty, but there was a strength in that stare that made Chanyeol reconsider what he _really_ knew about Baekhyun.

Which was… _nothing_.

Because despite what he read online about Baekhyun and the way he behaved with Chanyeol, he knew nothing more.

Which made Baekhyun, who was even older than him, a person of which Chanyeol knew barely anything about.

“I don’t want you to respect me, nor to stand me. Just… don’t. Don’t speak with me if it’s not necessary, don’t follow me around like a dog and… don’t judge what I do or what I don’t. I’m almost thirty-six this year and lived three-fourth of it, alone. I think I can decide of my life by myself, officer. Don’t need your help with it” he concluded, voice low, lower than Chanyeol ever heard it, and again his tone was _tired_.

Like he didn’t want to even _consider_ putting up a fight with Chanyeol, smartass replies leaving place to a forced acceptance of having to spend his time with Chanyeol.

Knowing that Chanyeol despised him and couldn’t stand him at all.

Even before Chanyeol could comment, Baekhyun already turned around proceeding with his small purchase, adding few more junk food, two lighters and a small packet of chewing-gums.

And when he got to the cashier, asked the shop assistants also for two packages of cigarettes.

“Which brand, sir?” the young lady asked him, glancing behind her what they still had in the shop.

Baekhyun hummed shortly, looking at them too.

“You don’t have Raison red?” Baekhyun asked her, clearly not seeing the package on the shelves and she hummed in thought before beaming at him.

“We just received them but didn’t restock them yet. If you are not in a haste, I can go and bring you few packets” she proposed him and Baekhyun smiled softly at her, nodding.

“You would save my day, lady” he replied, smile not leaving his lips and the young woman behind the counter blushed profusely before bowing shortly and going in the back of the shop to pick the cigarettes up.

“You are something else, Byun. Really” Chanyeol stated softly, but this time there wasn’t any joking tone nor mocking him.

Baekhyun shortly threw him a glance before shrugging his shoulders.

“Is there any pro in behaving like an asshole with people stressed out by rude customers? And she is super nice, since I know that this shop chain doesn’t sell Raison Café, which are the only other with the same amount of nicotine. And I wouldn’t be so happy in buying a brand that has less, since it keeps me up and working” Baekhyun briefly explained checking toward the end of the corridor and seeing the same young woman of before showing up with a whole restock of Raison red.

“Ah, sorry for the waiting” she stated and Baekhyun was quick in shaking his head.

“Not at all. I’m grateful you went all the way there just for me” Baekhyun replied immediately, smiling again at the woman who beamed back at him.

“It’s my work, sir. And you said two?” she asked him and Baekhyun hummed in thought before shaking his head again.

“Give me four, I’m sure I’ll finish them before the weekend nevertheless” he replied kindly but making her frown.

“I know I shouldn’t meddle with personal affairs, but you shouldn’t smoke this much, sir” she stated, clearly worried, considering that _the weekend_ was literally the day after tomorrow and that four packets of cigarettes in less than two days weren’t exactly an healthy choice.

Baekhyun let out a clear chuckle, shaking his head, looking at the woman starting to put the things he bought inside a shopper bag.

“I’m too old already for changing some die-hard habits” he retorted making her scrunch her nose, shaking her head.

“I’m not sure about your age, sir, but I doubt you are more than twenty, so there’s still time” she stated briefly, making both Baekhyun and Chanyeol snort, shaking their heads too.

“I’ll… take that as an appreciation, hopefully, since I’m nearer to the forties” Baekhyun replied making her eyes go wider in surprise.

“Ah, sir, I-I’m sorry… didn’t mean to say that you look like a teenager. I’m so so sorry” she started saying, face blushed up to her ears, but Baekhyun gently gestured with his hands that it was fine.

“I feel younger now” he stated and she blushed again, saying once more that she was sorry before making the total of Baekhyun’s purchase.

Baekhyun picked up his wallet and paid with the credit card, probably realizing that he hadn’t any more cash inside his wallet.

After greeting and thanking again the woman that was still blushing profusely, they exited the shop, going back toward the police station.

“We made slightly later than expected. Better hurrying a bit the pace, hope you won’t mind me eating while we proceed with what whatever we have to do this afternoon” Baekhyun stated immediately lighting one of the new cigarettes, despite having few more in the old package.

That was different though from that one.

Chanyeol recognized it only in that moment, remembering him of Yixing’s same brand of cigarette.

It was Marlboro Black Menthol, and Chanyeol had it in mind because once they joked around about the name.

“They are… different” Chanyeol observed, making Baekhyun frown before realizing he was talking about the cigarette, short smirk appearing on his lips.

“Officer, your observation gets better and better with the passing of time. I’m always more impressed” he joked, feigning himself surprised by the acute sense of observation Chanyeol had with that affirmation.

Chanyeol huffed, shaking his head and opening again his umbrella, but Baekhyun didn’t follow him immediately.

They look at each other, Baekhyun being almost as tall as Chanyeol since he was standing up on the four stairs that lead to the entrance of the shop.

“I really meant it before, Park. I… just want this to go in the best way possible and to catch that jerk once and forever. I know you don’t trust me in the slightest, but at least try not to be prejudiced toward me” Baekhyun whispered, stare not leaving Chanyeol’s and it was the first time that Baekhyun referred to him with his surname instead of _officer_ as he always did.

Chanyeol inhaled deeply, gently twirling the umbrella in his hands, pressing his lips in a thin line.

“I… know. And I owe you already for helping us out. I’ll… do my best too. Even though I didn’t promise anything to Jondae” Chanyeol replied briefly, forcing a smile and Baekhyun chuckled at _Jondae_ mention.

“Such a precious collaborator you have, officer. You should value him more. Even though he is super biased toward you” Baekhyun stated, finally doing those stairs and walking toward the police station again, immediately followed by Chanyeol.

“What you mean with _biased_?” Chanyeol asked him, frowning deeply and Baekhyun let out another pristine laugh, puffing out some more smoke.

“You are loved, officer. Generally by all your team members, but Dae has a special admiration and support toward you” Baekhyun replied and the smile on his lips was so soft and genuine that Chanyeol really wondered how much the guys were loving him, for Baekhyun to speak so fondly about it.

And Chanyeol was about to ask more about it, but Baekhyun’s phone rang up again.

This time Baekhyun snoozed the call without even taking the phone out of his pocket.

“You don’t reply?” Chanyeol asked him, perplexed, and Baekhyun pressed his lips in a thin line before shaking his head.

He seemed more nervous than before, smile easily vanished from his lips, substituted by a frown.

“I’ll check it later. I’m sure it can wait” he breathed shortly and when they arrived in front of the police station Baekhyun inhaled deeply.

“Can you, uhm, give me a sec? Time to smoke another one and check that call from before” Baekhyun whispered, fingers carding through his hair and Chanyeol pressed his lips in a thin line, nodding.

“Don’t be too late” he concluded, walking back inside and leaving Baekhyun outside.

There were so many things he didn’t know about Baekhyun.

So many to be almost infinite.

And if he firstly didn’t even want to know about them, after seeing those serious stares and _tiredness_ on Baekhyun, he got curious.

Because there was something mysterious in Baekhyun, something that enthralled him and made him want to know more about that _smartass antiquities seller_.

From that day on, Chanyeol tried to be more understanding toward Baekhyun and less hating without any reason.

There were days in which it was doable and they could almost stand each other without fussing around every single sentence the other said, and days in which it was impossible, mainly because Baekhyun had some mood swings that were difficult to understand.

Just a simple question about personal matters could make him silent and edgy even when, few moments before, he was smiling and joking around.

And if, at the beginning, Chanyeol thought that there was no logical link between Baekhyun’s swings, thanks to Jondae and a bit more observation, he realized that they were all linked to his family.

Baekhyun was fine with _whatever subject except his own family_.

Being it parents, brother or more widely relatives in general, Baekhyun couldn’t speak about his family, immediately getting icily and irritable.

Jondae once told him it was because Baekhyun had some _happenings_ in the past, of which he knew nothing either.

Baekhyun was reserved on generally everything, being fair and square, but if with other matters he would find a way to evade the question, mainly joking around, smartass retorts easily leaving his lips, when it was about his family, Baekhyun closed all the doors and fell silent.

In all of that, obviously, each time they thought they got closer to a possible hint, a solution or even only a step before their _Thunder thief_ , another case appeared.

And the card that _fucking_ thief left behind each time, got more and more irritating to Chanyeol.

They didn’t know what to do anymore, because it was clear that despite Baekhyun searching in the black market for people wanting to buy or sell those items, they were really wandering in the dark.

“What about your _Mister Y_?” Chanyeol asked him one day, earning a low _fuck_ from Baekhyun who was stretching his back.

“I forgot about him… I told him that I need to schedule an appointment but in the end I didn’t” Baekhyun replied inhaling deeply and fishing his phone from his pockets.

He typed shortly at the phone before putting it down on Jondae’s desk.

It was late, almost seven, and Jongin, Minseok and Junmyeon already went home, leaving there only Baekhyun and Jondae with Chanyeol.

Jondae was whining about being tired and _if I ever find who the freaking hell is this fucking punk, I’ll punch him in his face_ , when Chanyeol spoke up, waiting for _Mister Y_ to reply.

“Did you ever consider changing your phone, Byun? Yours is pretty old already. I mean, what’s that? An iPhone four?” Chanyeol asked him shortly, glancing at it from where he was leaning against his own desk.

Baekhyun hummed briefly, fingers gently caressing the screen of said phone before he could shake his head.

“No, I… it’s a gift. I will be really sad when I will be forced to change it because it will eventually die” Baekhyun replied, strangely honestly, on his lips a fond and caring smile that attracted both Jondae and Chanyeol’s astonished stare.

“Uh… a lady?” Jondae asked him back, eyebrows wiggling, clearly hinting something more than a mere friendship.

Chanyeol learnt that there was nothing between Jondae and Baekhyun, they just clicked together way too well, much for Chanyeol’s amazement.

Jondae was still laughing sometimes, remembering the time in which Chanyeol in the most discreet way possible tried to ask him about a possible love relationship between Jondae and Baekhyun.

Glad enough that he didn’t ask Baekhyun directly.

Baekhyun chuckled softly before shaking his head, stare going back again on the small phone on the desk.

“My, uhm…” he started saying slightly biting his lips before continuing, “my brother gave it to me when I was in high school. He said that it was a gift for, uhm, being our family’s pride” Baekhyun breathed, voice low and wavering around words, clearly having difficulties in speaking up about that.

Both Jondae and Chanyeol stayed silent, waiting for Baekhyun to find his words and, despite how uncharacteristic that behavior was, respecting his way of doing things.

“I… For me, my brother was the best person ever. He was the one people should be proud of, not me” Baekhyun added shortly, biting his lips and even when Chanyeol was sure that Baekhyun would have stopped there, not saying anything more, clearly way beyond his usual silence around whatever concerned his family, Baekhyun inhaled deeply before staring up at the ceiling.

“And yet, I am here and he’s not. Unfair, don’t you think? Especially how people keeps reminding you that it would be better if it was you and not him” Baekhyun concluded, clicking his tongue, before sitting up, hands immediately reaching for his cigarette, ready to exit as it was, but the phone pinged on the desk, reclaiming his attention, not giving Chanyeol even the time to process what that sentence actually meant on Baekhyun’s lips and how much it influenced his past.

Baekhyun picked up the phone, frowning at the message before swearing loudly.

“What happened?” Jondae asked him and Baekhyun shook his head, fingers gripping harder on the phone.

“That fucker” Baekhyun simply breathed, hastily going out and leaving Chanyeol and Jondae there, unable to process what just happened.

“What the…?” Chanyeol started but Jondae was frowning perplexed.

“I… don’t think it was from our _Mister Y_ ” Jondae objected, frown getting deeper on his forehead.

There was a small silence and then Chanyeol inhaled deeply, shaking his head.

“You can go home, Jondae. I’ll go look for Byun and then go away too. See you tomorrow?” Chanyeol asked him and Jondae nodded briefly, before picking up his things and leaving the room too.

Chanyeol followed him outside, locking the door behind them and exiting the building too.

And they were almost on the exit, when Baekhyun came back inside, frowning shortly but way calmer than before.

“Are you guys leaving?” Baekhyun asked them and they both nodded, making Baekhyun hint a short nod too.

“I… left my laptop in the room, though. And I need it for some balancing of the shop…” Baekhyun whispered toward Chanyeol who nodded again, slightly waiving at Jondae.

“See you tomorrow” he greeted and Jondae greeted them back before going away.

Chanyeol accompanied Baekhyun back to the shared office and they were almost going out again when Baekhyun inhaled deeply, stare moving toward Chanyeol.

“Are you…” he started saying, making Chanyeol frown shortly, looking back at him, waiting for him to continue the sentence.

And Baekhyun inhaled deeply, before swearing under his breath, and speaking up again.

“Are you up to some fried chicken together?” he asked him softly, almost imperceptibly and Chanyeol’s eyes went wider in surprise.

Byun Baekhyun.

Colossal smartass brat was really inviting _him_ out for fried chicken?

And he was still processing the whole happening, when Baekhyun shook his head shortly.

“Forget about it. It’s… stupid. I’ll go home. See you tomorrow” Baekhyun stated, literally disappearing from Chanyeol’s sight even before he could realize it.

It felt… strange.

Yet, Chanyeol was a bit sad about not being quick enough to accept Baekhyun’s invitation.

Because if he proposed it, maybe he had a reason, and maybe wanted to talk about something with Chanyeol.

Or maybe it was just to be kind.

However, Chanyeol missed that chance.

And he kind of hated himself for that.

Enough that he called Baekhyun.

He never thought that that day would come, but there he was calling Baekhyun to counter his retired invitation with another invitation.

“What did I do this time?” Baekhyun replied at the phone, tone tired and cold, making Chanyeol inhale deeply.

It was the right thing to do.

It was the best thing he could do in that moment.

“I would prefer jjajangmyeon, actually. Tomorrow is Friday and the guys will eat fried chicken again and they already invited me, us. So… would you like noodle instead?” he asked briefly, praying that _that_ was the right way to do things.

That Baekhyun would accept.

That things were supposed to go that way.

There was a small silence, in which Chanyeol feared that Baekhyun hanged up on him, but then there was a soft chuckle.

“What about japchae? There’s the best restaurant in all Seoul just nearby here and I’m up to beef” Baekhyun counter-proposed him, making Chanyeol hum in thought.

It was a while since last time he had japchae.

“Is it really good? Because I’m picky on japchae” Chanyeol retorted immediately, making Baekhyun snort, confirming him again that it was good.

“You didn’t go far from here or you already took the metro?” Chanyeol asked him and Baekhyun hummed shortly, clearly puffing out some smoke.

“Just outside the station. Pick me up in five?” Baekhyun replied and Chanyeol chuckled again, unable to process again how that situation came to be.

He was about to go and have dinner, this time alone without all the others, with Byun Baekhyun.

His swore archenemy.

His nemesis.

The guy he despised the most in the world.

Or better… was it really still like that?

Because what Chanyeol came to know about Baekhyun, made him nearer to him, instead of farther, understanding more of his behaviors, how Baekhyun thought and acted, what food he preferred, when he was low on caffeine or nicotine, when he had genial ideas and when he had stupid ones.

When he was tired and just wanted to mess around with Jondae and when instead he was more focused than the others.

Baekhyun was the most complexed human being Chanyeol ever knew in his whole life.

And this was… enthralling to Chanyeol.

Because he was curious, wanted to know more, to understand more what Baekhyun was thinking or why he was acting like that.

And maybe that chance wasn’t so bad, being out of the workplace and being able to speak with him freely?

Or so Chanyeol wanted to think.

“Be there in two” he concluded, hearing Baekhyun chuckle again before he could whisper a soft _wait for you_.

And that was enough for Chanyeol to know that _that_ was indeed the best choice.

Chanyeol went to the parking place and drove until the exit of the metro station, immediately spotting Baekhyun’s leaning on the barrier that lead down to the underground station.

Chanyeol rolled down the window, calling Baekhyun’s surname, attracting his attention.

Baekhyun was frowning especially deep while he was looking at his phone, smoking.

Definitely smoked too much.

“You are late” Baekhyun breathed, nearing the car and pressing the cigarette in the small ashtray that he always had with him.

“And you should stop smoking” Chanyeol retorted immediately, making Baekhyun scrunch his nose in disapproval.

He opened the door and sit down near Chanyeol, closing the door behind him and pulling at the safety belt.

“You know the road already or should I tell you?” Baekhyun asked him and Chanyeol shrugged his shoulders, looking on the rear-view mirror to go back to the main street.

“I’m not familiar with your area, being a bit out of the center. Better if you tell me” he replied and Baekhyun hummed in reply, already giving him some indications.

Chanyeol followed Baekhyun’s guide silently, not even trying some kind of other talk, knowing that it would be definitely better trying something when they were sitting in a restaurant while eating and drinking.

Especially for Baekhyun who liked to drink apparently and got a little bit more laid back when he did.

“You have to park here, because we have to walk a bit” Baekhyun stated softly, briefly glancing up from the screen of his phone and Chanyeol nodded, finding a parking place and stopping the engine.

Baekhyun was uncharacteristically silent, frequently checking his phone like he was waiting for a call or a message.

“Still no news from Mister Y?” Chanyeol asked him while they were walking in an unknown direction, blindly following Baekhyun’s guidance.

Baekhyun inhaled deeply before shaking his head.

“He said okay for next week but I’m still waiting for the time. I’ll let you guys know when I will know too” Baekhyun replied briefly, even though it was an info more compared to _no news at all_ as they remained before Baekhyun left the police station.

And Chanyeol wanted to enquire further but Baekhyun stopped in front of a wooden sliding door.

It was light brown and on top of it there was written _Bird_.

Outside there wasn’t a menu nor anything else.

It could be everything and nothing.

Baekhyun slid the door open, entering the restaurant and greeting a young lady near the cashier.

“Ah, Byun-ssi, welcome. It’s been a while. Are you fine?” she asked him, surprised to see him there, and he nodded briefly, gesturing toward Chanyeol behind him.

“I’m fine, Yoona. How’s here? Y’all okay? And I have a guest with me tonight. Hope you don’t mind” he stated and she shook her head fervently, smiling toward Chanyeol too.

“Not at all, Byun-ssi. Jae will be happy, I’m sure about it” she concluded, walking toward the main hall and gesturing them to follow.

The restaurant was… small.

After the small entrance corridor, it had small booths, hosting no more than four people per booth, making it _extremely_ intimate.

In total, it had more or less forty, maximum forty-four place to seat.

Chanyeol was… perplexed.

He didn’t expect certainly a four stars restaurant, but neither a small place like that.

Yoona gestured them a farther in booth, completely isolated from the rest of the places, smiling softly toward Baekhyun.

“What do I have to tell Jae? Better a menu since you’re in company?” she asked Baekhyun who was taking off his jacket, leaning it on the bench where he was about to sit.

“Yes, please. Park here is not from the area” he replied briefly and she nodded shortly, bowing and going away, leaving them alone.

“Where…?” Chanyeol started saying, sitting down in front of Baekhyun, after removing his own jacket too, looking around the place.

Not that there was much too see.

On the walls, hanged beautiful Chinese-like looking scrolls, beautifully painted and decorated, especially of flowers and birds.

“Told ya. Best japchae in town. And few other dishes too, if you fancy them. Now Yoona will bring you the menu, though, so you can choose freely” Baekhyun whispered, lightening another cigarette up.

Chanyeol hummed shortly, even though he finally realized what was strange in all of that.

“There’s… no one apart from us. Is it normal?” Chanyeol asked him, making Baekhyun chuckle, puffing out a bit of smoke.

“Officer, sometimes you are really funny. It’s… early now. You will see in more or less half an hour” he retorted as it was the most obvious thing, smile not leaving his lips that went back to the cigarette, drawing longer from it.

And before Chanyeol could retort something, Yoona was back with the menu.

“For heavens’ sake, Byun-ssi. You really should stop smoking. You will have a cancer soon, despite being so young!” she stated angrily, glaring at him and Baekhyun inhaled deeply before pressing the cigarette on the ashtray even if there was more than a half left.

“My bad. How’s Jae, by the way?” he asked her while Chanyeol was reading swiftly the menu.

Not that there was a lot apart from twenty different types of japchae, from the more traditional ones, to the fanciest ones.

“Jae is good, thanks. Thought you wouldn’t come by anymore, but he’s good. If you want to maybe come and greet him later, before going away” she replied and Baekhyun hummed shortly, shaking his head.

“I don’t want to disturb him for nothing” he tried to reply but Yoona smacked his shoulders, stare scolding and unbelieving.

“I forbid you to go away without come and greet Jae, Byun-ssi” she stated and Baekhyun inhaled deeply, finally nodding, resigned.

“Fine, fine” he conceded, moving his stare toward Chanyeol, frowning.

“Park? Will take you any longer?” Baekhyun asked him and Chanyeol hummed, shaking his head.

“I was attracted by the Indian-inspired japchae” he replied and Yoona cheered cutely at his side, making Baekhyun chuckle and Chanyeol frown.

“Is there… anything wrong with it?” Chanyeol asked them briefly, perplexed by their reactions, but Yoona shook her head, smiling widely.

“Byun-ssi always said that it was the strangest dish on the menu and Jae invented it just because I like it, but apparently I’m not the only one” Yoona explained, making Chanyeol frown deeper.

“Is it…” he started saying but Baekhyun smiled at him briefly.

“It’s super spicy” he concluded for him and Chanyeol was overjoying with the news.

“I’m more than okay with that, then” he finished closing the menu, giving it back to Yoona before moving his stare toward Baekhyun.

“And you?” he asked him briefly but Baekhyun shrugged his shoulders.

“Tell Jae that whatever inspire him more it will be fine” he stated speaking toward Yoona who chuckled softly, nodding.

“Beer is okay for both? Or you prefer soju already?” she hummed briefly, stare looking toward the end of the corridor, probably attracted by the sound of the sliding door opening.

“Beer is fine for the moment, let’s leave soju for later on” Baekhyun concluded and she nodded shortly, putting down near them a small buzzer.

“If you need something, I’m here” she stated before bowing shortly and leaving them alone again.

There was a small silence and then Chanyeol hummed briefly.

“You seem to know this place pretty well” he observed, looking around and seeing other people entering the place, even though sitting far from them.

“It’s… a while since I didn’t come here, but I used to come often with my brother” he muttered, fingers carding in his hair, stare shifting away from Chanyeol.

“It’s strange hearing you talk about your family” Chanyeol whispered briefly, tentatively, not wanting to upset Baekhyun, but it seemed that that evening he was more tired than willing to be angry or silent.

Baekhyun huffed a bitter laugh, shaking his head.

“ _My family_ ” he echoed like it meant something, like he wasn’t happy at all with how his family was.

And Chanyeol was about to enquire any further when Baekhyun spoke up.

“It’s years already, that I don’t have one anymore” he added fingers going to play with the condense on the water pitcher that there was on the table.

Baekhyun’s fingers were slender and Chanyeol just realized that only on one of his hand, Baekhyun had a thin gold ring on his point finger.

“My parents, after my brother’s death, don’t contact me anymore. And it’s better like this, since before they did it only to remember me how I wasn’t as my brother was. So, yeah…” Baekhyun continued briefly, but stopping because Yoona brought them the beers with two tall glasses.

“While my brother… passed away too early” he simply dismissed when Yoona went away, making Chanyeol frown shortly.

“Illness?” he asked him quietly, perplexed though by the total absence of emotion in Baekhyun’s voice in stating that his brother passed away.

Baekhyun shook his head, taking the bottle and, after realizing that Yoona forgot to uncork the small cap, he used the back of his lighter to remove both his and Chanyeol’s without calling her back there.

It was the first time that Chanyeol saw someone removing the cap of a bottle of beer with the back of a lighter.

“My brother did your same work, Park. He was killed in action. Such a great honor for the family, all missed him so much while not knowing anything about him and how much he was suffering because it wasn’t the work he wanted, because he never decided himself what he wanted to be. How he despised being _a detective_. But… _such a great honor_ ” Baekhyun spat out, shaking his head, voice hardening, tone icy and so low that Chanyeol was surprised by the strong negativity behind it.

“I’m… sorry to hear that, Byun” Chanyeol breathed but Baekhyun chuckled bitterly, again shaking his head.

“It was so many years ago, you don’t have to try and be kind. It doesn’t suit you” Baekhyun retorted, shrugging his shoulders and pouring himself some beer before drinking a bit of that.

Chanyeol did the same before speaking up again.

“No, really. It’s always strange when it happens…” he started saying and Baekhyun briefly stopped him with a gesture of his hand.

“I know better you may think. My brother was… the best person I’ve ever met. He was kind, dedicate, supportive even in my worst choice, always found time for me. I still remember that night when a colleague of his called me, even before calling my parents. _I knew he wanted you to know first_ – he said and I knew that he was right, but damn if it hurt. My parents didn’t go to the morgue to identify him, _I_ did. They didn’t organize the rituals nor spoke with the monks for the cremation, I did. They just sat on the couch, sighing and crying, saying to everybody how they were sad yet proud of him for dying in such a _heroic_ way” Baekhyun explained, voice incredibly steady considering what he was speaking about.

His stare was far from Chanyeol’s, but his voice was stable and his tone unreadable.

Almost like Baekhyun was telling someone else’s story not his own.

“He liked this place. Because here with Yoona and Jae he felt… _home_. And he wasn’t _detective Byun_ here” he whispered, soft smile appearing on his lips, before disappearing as quickly as it came, stare shifting on Chanyeol’s.

“Reason why tonight, here, you will be only _Park_. Please, try to understand it… also for their sake” he breathed, seeing Yoona coming back with the dishes.

Baekhyun smiled softly at her who lent down in front of Chanyeol’s one of the most curry spiced japchae he ever saw in his life.

The scent was heavenly and the bright yellow so inviting.

Instead, for Baekhyun, it was something way lighter, with a lot of vegetable and beef.

However, Baekhyun’s eyes were sparkling at the vision.

“Tell Jae I love him” Baekhyun breathed, taking a pair of chopsticks and leaning down toward the bowl.

Yoona laughed brightly, shaking her head.

“You come tell him when you’re done. Enjoy your dinner” she concluded, going away and leaving Baekhyun in adoration of his dish.

“It was what you expected?” Chanyeol asked him and Baekhyun snorted, shaking his head.

“It was _way more_ than what I expected, but Jae still knows me so well” Baekhyun whispered softly, chopsticks gently mixing all the ingredients, inhaling the scent coming up from the dish.

“Who’s exactly this _Jae_?” Chanyeol asked him, doing the same and started eating his dish and, heavens if it was good!

Nice flavor and super spicy.

Chanyeol was glad that he chose that.

Baekhyun scrunched his nose shortly, stare inquiring Chanyeol trying to read him and… was that question so difficult to reply?

“You don’t have to tell me if you are not…” Chanyeol started saying but Baekhyun stopped him, eating a bit of noodles again.

“He is my brother’s boyfriend” he stated shortly, making Chanyeol’s eyes go wider in surprise.

“Oh” he let out, astonished and Baekhyun pressed his lips in a thin line before starting to eat again.

“My brother wasn’t… exactly open as I am in being gay, but he loved Jae to bits. I’m sure about this because he wanted to ask him to marry him, after he would leave the police” Baekhyun added briefly before finishing his japchae and Chanyeol frowned even deeper.

Baekhyun was gay too?

Not that Chanyeol had any problem with that since he was instead open to both genres, but he wouldn’t have said at all.

Especially seeing how successful he was with women in general, of all ages.

Baekhyun chuckled softly, probably at some expressions Chanyeol was doing.

“You didn’t expect it, Park? Nice pair we did, me and my brother. When I told my brother’s mother I was gay she sent me away from home. When my brother did, she patted him on the shoulder saying that it would pass and that he would have found a woman he loved soon enough. When he went to live with Jae, she called me telling me that it was my fault if my brother was _like me_ , that I ruined him” Baekhyun stated and he didn’t even feel dejected anymore, nor reassigned.

Only acceptant of what happened in the past with a fair degree of _not giving a damn fuck_ about it.

“Such a bullshit” Chanyeol let himself go, finishing his dish too and earning himself another chuckle, this time lighter, from Baekhyun.

“I think so too, but she was so convinced that I told her that it was true, since I introduced Jae to him, so yeah, it was my fault. It’s one of the hundred reasons why she hates me and she told me nonstop that it would be better if I died instead of my brother” he concluded downing the rest of his beer, before gently pressing the small buzzer that Yoona left them before.

Chanyeol groaned lowly, shaking his head, fingers going to mess his hair up.

“It’s such a contorted way of thinking. She should feel blessed that one of her sons is still alive” he stated like it was the most obvious thing but making Baekhyun explode in a sound laugh.

“The wrong one, you mean” he noted, smirk appearing on his lips, but Chanyeol was already shaking his head and he didn’t like that discourse at all nor how Baekhyun was facing it.

It was impossible that Baekhyun was so light on that, completely accepting of that words, of that way of thinking, totally not reacting to his mother’s way of doing things.

“You are not the wrong one, Byun” Chanyeol breathed softly, earning himself a quick perplexed stare from Baekhyun, but it was immediately substituted by a short scoff.

“It’s so kind of you, Park. But you don’t have to worry about me. I’m better off without them and it’s okay if they think that. It’s a way to cope with loss and hurt too” Baekhyun stated, tone again lower, and saying something way deeper than Chanyeol would ever expect.

Baekhyun still sort of cared about his parents and took that way of behaving like a way for them not too feel too hurting about Baekhyun’s brother loss.

But it wasn’t the right way.

Not like that.

Not while hurting him.

And Chanyeol was about to state it, when Baekhyun shook his head.

“You are… blessed with a nice family, in which love was always present, or so I suppose. That’s why you don’t understand. I… prefer them like this then calling to throw back at me that I’m here when he’s not. I know it too and I know that probably it would be better the contrary, but it’s not possible to go back in time and change things. And I have other problems myself. I don’t need them calling me just to speak badly about me and my life choices comparing them with my brother’s. We were… different and who is left, it’s only me. Too bad” he concluded, forcing a short smile, and Chanyeol was already shaking his head wanting to tell him that it wasn’t like that, that he hadn’t to feel that way because it was a blessing that he was still there, despite his brother wasn’t, but Yoona arrived, asking if they needed something else.

Baekhyun smiled softly at her, leaning his head on the side, doing one of the cutest, softest, prettiest _aegyo_ Chanyeol ever saw on someone’s face.

Baekhyun was full of surprises.

He managed to pass from a deep, sad discourse as before, to showing his cute face all smiley and pretty.

“A bit more beef?” he asked her, making her chuckle at the soft, cute display.

“I’ll ask Jae what he still has. For you, Park-ssi? How was the japchae?” she asked toward Chanyeol who smiled too, even if not openly and cutely as Baekhyun.

“It was the best, thanks to the chef. And… I’ll take a bit from Byun if you bring a bit more?” Chanyeol asked her before looking toward Baekhyun who nodded shortly, giving also his okay.

“I’m glad you enjoyed it. I’ll ask Jae, then. Be right back” she replied picking up the dishes and going away.

There was a brief silence and then Baekhyun chuckled softly.

“You will regret not taking your own share of beef” he stated nodding, sure about that, and Chanyeol frowned shortly, trying to understand what he meant.

Baekhyun smiled briefly, picking up a cigarette from his package and lighting it up, drawing longer on it.

“Jae’s specialties are japchae. But his beef is… supreme” Baekhyun stated, smile not leaving his lips and shortly leaning his back on the backrest, closing his eyes.

He looked so relaxed and in peace that Chanyeol still couldn’t process that Baekhyun just spoke about his own family _that bad_ and that he had almost no contact with them since his brother’s death.

“You said your brother was an officer?” Chanyeol asked him and Baekhyun frowned shortly, opening back his eyes, smoking slowly before nodding.

“Major crimes, I think slightly higher in grade than you. And we speak of… ugh, a bit less than fifteen years ago?” Baekhyun replied, humming in thought, clearly counting in his head the years.

Chanyeol was already in police fifteen years prior, but not in the same unit and not with the same degree so it was possible that he didn’t know Baekhyun’s brother at all.

Even though Byun surname wasn’t that common, so it would be easy enough to find out more about him if he wanted to.

Not that he had to, nor there was any need.

Baekhyun told him a lot already.

“Was he working on something?” Chanyeol asked him but Baekhyun shrugged his shoulders, shaking his head.

“I don’t know. He… difficulty told me things of his work. _To keep me safe_ , or so he said” Baekhyun replied softly and Chanyeol nodded briefly, clearly understanding the point.

He never told anything neither to his parents or his sister so, yeah…

Yoona was back again this time with a small camping stove, a grill and a big plate of marinated raw beef.

“You already know your way, right?” Yoona asked Baekhyun who nodded shortly, pressing his cigarette on the ashtray and picking up the lighter to light the small stove placing the grill over it.

“Leave you also some tongs” she stated putting them down and taking their empty beer bottles.

“Soju or more beer?” she asked and Baekhyun scrunched his nose shortly.

“Soju. Clear, ice cold, please” Baekhyun replied and she nodded going away.

Chanyeol looked at Baekhyun testing the grill for it to be at the right temperature before he started to put down the meat on it.

“You prefer it slight raw or well cooked?” Baekhyun asked him tending the beef and Chanyeol hummed shortly, finally choosing the _raw side_.

“Like me then” he concluded focusing again on the meat and there was another small silence before Chanyeol could speak up.

“You… told me about your brother and your family. What about yourself?” he asked toward Baekhyun who looked at him perplexed before letting out a soft chuckle.

“It doesn’t work like that, Park. I told you about my family, now you tell me about yours. Maybe, if I will feel good enough, if there will be a next time, I will consider telling you something about me” he explained shortly, shaking his head and Chanyeol knew that it wasn’t good forcing Baekhyun in something he didn’t want.

It would rend him only less cooperative than that.

He inhaled deeply, nodding.

“Fine, you are right” he granted nodding and Baekhyun smiled at him, giving him some meat on the small dish.

“It’s nice hearing you say I’m right” he retorted, making Chanyeol snort and shake his head.

He ignored the smartass comment, moving on the subject again.

“My parents are doctors, no one in my family was in police before me. My father was a bit unsupportive at start, but my sister helped me to convince him. My sister is bright and a real sunshine, love her a lot” Chanyeol stated, smiling softly, thinking about how it was almost a week that he didn’t hear anything from his sister and it would be better to write her asking how her and her family were.

“Uh, who would have told that you were so fond and cutely smiling for your sister? I’m honored to witness this soft smile of yours” Baekhyun noted and even if his tone was light and playful, Chanyeol could clearly feel how he was sincere in his feelings.

Baekhyun was really glad to see Chanyeol’s smiling while he was speaking of his sister.

And Chanyeol nodded, picking up few pieces of meat and eating them before showing Baekhyun a photo of his sister with her daughter on his phone.

“See? This is her, with my nephew. She’s eight now. Eight? She’s eight, right?” he stated perplexed showing it to Baekhyun over the table, and Baekhyun chuckled softly, shaking his head.

“Aw, baby. Look at her, she has your same ears, though” he commented, making Chanyeol immediately feel self-conscious of his own ears.

He was about to speak about them when Baekhyun hummed in thought.

“And you don’t remember how old she is?” he asked briefly making Chanyeol frown briefly.

“Kids these days grow so _fucking_ fast, it’s easy to lose count” Chanyeol retorted, shrugging his shoulders, pocketing his phone just in time to see again Yoona arriving and bringing them soju, but immediately going away again.

“Aren’t you getting older, Park?” he continued asking, but putting more meat on Chanyeol’s dish.

“I’m not. And take a bit too, don’t give it all to me. Even though you were damn right, this meat is so good” Chanyeol commented taking some pieces and putting them in Baekhyun’s plate.

“But…” Baekhyun started to say, but Chanyeol hushed him with a gesture of his hand.

“It’s an order” he stated, before opening the soju bottle and pouring them both a bit.

“And I can’t believe we haven’t cheered again, despite this being an unbelievable happening” Chanyeol continued, making Baekhyun frown shortly, but picking up the small glass nevertheless.

“ _Unbelievable_?” he retorted, leaning his head on the side and Chanyeol chuckled, nodding.

“Jondae would not believe either of us about this dinner” he explained smirk easily appearing on his lips and Baekhyun chuckled softly, nodding, completely agreeing with him.

“Dae would… probably ask us if we were drunk or drugged” he granted nodding and Chanyeol smiled, raising the glass.

“To this impossible dinner, then” Chanyeol proposed and Baekhyun snorted, clicking his glass together with Chanyeol’s.

“Sure. Thanks for accepting my invitation, even though modified” Baekhyun whispered and for a second, a short second, Chanyeol could see that same sadness he saw in Baekhyun’s eyes that afternoon.

“When you want, Byun. It was _unexpectedly_ pleasant” he replied, making Baekhyun chuckle, eyes forming small crescents, cheeks gently glowing in the light, slightly reddened by the alcohol.

“Who knows then. Maybe in the future” he concluded and Chanyeol nodded toward him gulping down his glass, Baekhyun copying his gesture.

The soju was cool and went down delightfully, burning in the right way.

They ate the rest of the meat joking on small things and Chanyeol sharing small stories of his own family with Baekhyun, and the time passed so fast that they almost didn’t realize it was that late up to when Yoona came announcing that they were almost closing.

“Sorry for staying this longer. Did we… inconvenienced you?” Baekhyun asked her sitting up and taking his jacket with him.

She was already shaking her head, smiling at him.

“Jae said you can stay as long as you want, there will always be a table reserved for you” she concluded, patting gently Baekhyun’s shoulder.

Baekhyun inhaled deeply, closing his eyes briefly before nodding.

“I’ll go and greet him. Don’t accept any payment from Park, obviously. It’s all on me” Baekhyun stated and she nodded shortly smiling at him, before going to prepare the bill, even before Chanyeol could protest.

“Come on. The evening was nice… don’t ruin it now” Baekhyun whispered, forcing a short smile and then moving with confidence toward a door with written _Staff Only_ on it.

He stopped in front of it, inhaling deeply before pushing it open and forcing a smile on his lips.

“Hey, you got time for a greet?” he asked to _Jae_ probably and his voice got lost in the kitchen, or at least a bit before Baekhyun could exit the kitchen with Jae too.

Jae was tall even if not as much as Chanyeol, had blonde hair, hazelnut eyes and a pair of rounded glasses that made him look probably younger than what he was.

“A pleasure to meet you, Park-ssi. I’m Lee Jae, nice to meet you” he stated stretching his hand toward Chanyeol who took it, shaking it shortly.

“Park Chanyeol, nice to meet you too. Your Indian japchae was awesome, thank you” he introduced himself before congratulating about the japchae he ate before.

Jae chuckled softly but shook his head, pressing his glasses better on his nose, clearly embarrassed.

“I… should be thankful, actually. It was a while since last time Hyunnie came here” he stated briefly, hand messing Baekhyun’s hair.

And Baekhyun… let him do it, smiling softly at him.

“Jae” he whined cutely, making Jae chuckle and pat his head softly.

“Thank you, Park-ssi. It was… like having him home again” he breathed and Baekhyun pressed his lips in a thin line, bowing shortly.

“I’m sorry for not…” he started saying but Jae circled his shoulders with his arm, pulling him near.

“I just need to know that you won’t be a stranger anymore” he interrupted him and Baekhyun shook his head against Jae’s shoulder and it was… _cute_.

Because Chanyeol didn’t have any other words if not… cute.

And for a moment he really wondered how it was to half-hug Baekhyun like that, pulling him near and stroke his shoulders.

He was surprised by his own thought, immediately pushing it away.

“Yoona told me you want to pay, but I won’t…” Jae started saying but Baekhyun shook his head.

“Oh, don’t start. I had a great evening with Park here, tonight. And you cooked for us like we were guests, so let me pay and don’t be your usual self” Baekhyun stopped him distancing from him and, after they stared a bit at each other in silence, Jae finally sighed.

“Fine. But promise you will come again. And not like last time” Jae stated glaring at him even though he wouldn’t have been scared neither in ages.

Baekhyun chuckled before pinching his cheeks.

“I promise, Jae. Really. You will be tired of having me here” he promised, and Jae smiled at him nodding.

“Welcome back” he concluded, ruffling again his hair and accompanying them to the cashier.

Despite all Chanyeol’s insistences, Baekhyun paid for both and, after greeting and thanking again Jae and Yoona, they exited in the cold December air.

“Uh, cold” Baekhyun stated, closing better his jacket and Chanyeol chuckled, shaking his head.

“It’s just you” he retorted, earning himself a glare from Baekhyun who lit up a cigarette, starting to walk toward the parking place.

“Where are you going? Your apartment isn’t this way?” Chanyeol asked him, gesturing toward the opposite direction, easily reachable in walking distance.

Baekhyun hummed briefly before sighing deeply.

“I… wanted to smoke a bit more, so let me accompany you to your car” Baekhyun whispered and there was something else, the reason not being only that one.

So Chanyeol simply agreed with it, walking toward the parking place.

Even though Baekhyun spoke only when they were there, near Chanyeol’s car.

“I’m… grateful about tonight, officer. Really. Thanks for sticking around a bit. Hope it was at least a bit pleasant for you too” Baekhyun whispered softly, gentle smile appearing on his lips and Chanyeol found it way more beautiful than all those fake charming smirks usually were present on Baekhyun’s face.

“It was, Byun. Thanks to you too” he replied briefly and Baekhyun snorted, shaking his head, drawing longer on the cigarette between his lips.

“Not so sure that telling you unfortunate family stories count as _pleasant_ but thank you nevertheless” Baekhyun concluded and Chanyeol smiled at him, nodding.

“See you tomorrow, officer?” Baekhyun asked him and Chanyeol nodded shortly again.

“Park is fine too” Chanyeol replied briefly and Baekhyun hummed before waiving at him and seeing him going away with the car.

And all the way back home, Chanyeol couldn’t do anything but think about Baekhyun, his family’s history and how much he suffered in the past.

How he didn’t refer to his parents as _mother_ or _father_ but always as _my brother’s father_ or _mother_.

How much his brother and _Jae_ meant for him.

And how many things he still didn’t know but wanted to know about Baekhyun.

Because the person he spent time with that evening, was way more pleasant than he may have thought.

Byun Baekhyun wasn’t only a smartass know-all antiquities seller.

He was way much more than that, using that as cover for something way better than that.

Chanyeol was more than determined to know more about Baekhyun, sure, a pity that apparently _nobody_ knew more of Baekhyun.

During a break, once in the office, while Baekhyun was out smoking, Chanyeol asked Jondae more information about Baekhyun, if he knew more about his story or where he worked or what he did before opening that antiquities shop but apparently Jondae knew even less than him.

He didn’t even know about Baekhyun’s brother.

So, yeah, definitely not Jondae.

He asked quickly about him to the other members of his squad too but without much success, only Junmyeon that was sometimes the cleverest of all of them, suggested him to start from Baekhyun’s brother.

Not that Chanyeol shared all the things Baekhyun told him with them, just the barely minimum, including Baekhyun’s brother being an officer.

And Chanyeol was stuck with _Fearless Light_ ’s investigations until Baekhyun’s meeting with Mister Y, so he had a bit of time.

“Guys, I have some matters to solve today. Let’s all take other tasks for today, maybe tomorrow we will be able to think better on this fucking investigation” he stated around four PM that day, earning short nods from everybody before shifting his stare on Baekhyun.

“If you want to go too, Byun. It won’t do any bad staying at the shop a bit, since that Christmas is almost next week” Chanyeol stated, carding his fingers in his hair and pulling them back.

Baekhyun frowned shortly, but didn’t add anything either, simply nodding toward him, greeting the others before going away too.

When Chanyeol was sure that Baekhyun went away and his members were busy with other things, he went to the archives, wanting to find something more about Baekhyun’s brother.

Baekhyun said more or less fifteen years prior, so he had to dig a bit, but nothing that could scare Chanyeol.

He took off his jacket, rolling up the sleeve of his shirt, nearing the right archive, under letter _B_.

Standing on Police archive, there weren’t much _Byun_ officers in Seoul Metropolitan Police history, so it wasn’t difficult to find out which one was Baekhyun’s brother.

Byun Baekbom served in police for almost five years before being promoted to detective and then to Major Crimes, as Baekhyun told him.

He had several mentions in dispatches and commendations.

Kind-hearted and involved also in Red Cross and volunteering activities.

Baekbom died at the age of thirty-one during an important mission for which he gained another badge of honor.

The details of the mission were… not there.

There wasn’t written anything on the mission he died in.

No details, no person involved, not what it was about, neither in few sentences.

It was strange and Chanyeol frowned deeply.

In Police they were damn rigid on everything, so it couldn’t be that those details were simply missing because someone forgot to put them in.

There was something else.

What was Baekbom working on when he died?

He hummed deeply, closing the file and going toward the computer trying to find out something more.

However, after almost one hour of tries, he didn’t find anything, making him swear under his breath.

He was about to explode or simply tell a well-deserved _fuck off_ to everything when he remembered that that day on shift there was one of the smartest rookies ever and for sure he could ask _her_ about that.

Chanyeol sat up, picking with him also the folder with Baekbom’s case and his jacket, even though he didn’t put it on.

He went down to the hall, meeting the youngest yet smartest rookie in all Seoul Metropolitan Police, Jung Eunbi.

She looked petite, but she was determined to make career and with her smartness and almost perfect aim in shooting, she was already on the rightest way.

“Jung, do you have a moment?” Chanyeol asked her and her eyes went wider seeing Chanyeol coming down from the stairs, just to speak with her.

And her eyes inquired longer also on the jacket in Chanyeol’s arms instead of _on him_.

“Are you, uhm, going somewhere officer Park?” she asked him, trying to be polite, but he frowned shortly leaning the jacket and the folder on the desk in front of her, slightly leaning down to peek over it.

“Nope, and you? Are you busy? Can I bother you with a question?” he asked her trying to be kind and force himself not to say swears and behaving properly.

Usually he wouldn’t be that fixed on that, but he knew from other officers that when Eunbi had her interviews on which officers she liked most, looked up to, wanted to work with, Chanyeol was one of the firsts she mentioned.

“Sure thing. Is it about something old?” she asked him, gesturing toward the folder and he hummed shortly, carding his fingers in his hair.

“Yeah, sixteen years ago. I need to know more information about detective Byun Baekbom” he stated, showing her the profile, with the name written on them.

She shortly glanced at them before typing away on her computer, humming in thought.

Eunbi was petite, with both hair and eyes black.

Her hair was super straight and so long that were probably envied by every single female officer in the department.

Always kind and happy to help when she was around.

“Ah” she stated, frowning deeply at the result that appeared on the screen.

“What happened?” Chanyeol asked her, frowning too, since he didn’t have a single result so it was already something that instead she was seeing something.

“What are… looking into exactly, officer Park?” Eunbi asked him and even before Chanyeol could ask her what she meant, she was already turning the screen toward Chanyeol showing the result.

In capital intimidating red letters there was written _Authorization denied – you can’t access to this file_.

Chanyeol frowned even deeper.

“What the fuck?” he let out, despite Eunbi still being there, but that thing didn’t make sense at all.

Why files on Baekbom’s death were protected and one needed authorization to see them?

“I… don’t know either, Jung. But if someone asks you, I never asked you anything and you never looked for it either” he stated and even before she could reply, Chanyeol picked up both the folder and the jacket and walked toward Yixing’s office, hoping to find him still there.

And he was, luckily.

“Hey, Zhang, may I ask you something?” Chanyeol asked him, knocking on the opened door, but realizing way too late that he was listening to a recorded answering machine message.

 _“Hey Xing, it’s Baek. When you can call me, it’s urgent”_ the voice stated and it was… Baekhyun’s.

Yixing stopped it, seeing Chanyeol on the entryway and he was already frowning deeply.

Why… Baekhyun knew Yixing?

They clearly knew quite well since the small nickname Baekhyun used to call Yixing and with which he greeted the man.

And what was so urgent?

How old was that message?

“How can I help you Park?” Yixing asked him, leaning his head on the side, smiling and gesturing him to enter and sit down on one of the chairs in front of his desk.

In Chanyeol’s head thoughts were swirling fervently.

“It seemed urgent, don’t you want to call back?” Chanyeol asked him, trying to understand if and how much he could talk about that with Yixing.

“No worries, I will do it later. Do you need something?” Yixing retorted immediately, shrugging his shoulders and Chanyeol hummed shortly.

“It’s… curious it was a call from Byun, because I’m here to ask you about his brother” he stated, stare not leaving Yixing’s trying to understand his reactions and how he would take the whole _Baekbom matter_.

Yixing frowned briefly before shaking his head shortly.

“What do you want to know about detective Byun? It’s an old archived story” he replied briefly, making Chanyeol hum, nodding in thought before opening the folder and turning it around to show it to Yixing.

“It’s the first time that someone take a medal of honor for… _nothing_ ” he observed, pointing the exact part where the paper stated that Baekbom had a medal, but not mentioned for what.

Yixing carded his fingers in his hair, shrugging his shoulders.

“Park, undercover missions aren’t something as rare as you may think” he tried, but Chanyeol was already shaking his head.

“And after fifteen years the details are still marked as confidential and not accessible?” Chanyeol inquired, stare not leaving Yixing, trying to understand how much Yixing knew and how much he was willing to share with Chanyeol.

“Park, listen…” Yixing started inhaling deeply, pressing his fingers against his temples before looking again toward Chanyeol.

“There are things in this world that are better hidden. No one should ask and they should be forgotten as soon as possible. Isn’t it enough that detective Byun had his medal and his name whispered so proudly by his family and former colleagues? Don’t mess with past things, officer. It won’t bring anything good” he stated and it was final, even though Chanyeol knew that there was something wrong and he was more than decided to know about that.

And in a flash, he remembered that police folder in Baekhyun’s apartment.

Maybe it had something to do with that?

He had to find a way to ask Baekhyun about it, or to have access to it.

Chanyeol hummed briefly, nodding and sitting up, thanking Yixing for the suggestion, even if his head was full of thoughts and ideas.

Chanyeol stopped on the door and turned around shortly.

“Why… Byun called you?” he asked him briefly, stare once again inquiring on Yixing’s face.

Yixing didn’t flinch in the slightest.

“Because I knew his brother and helped Baekhyun retrieving some things his brother left here” he replied and Chanyeol hummed, nodding shortly before going away, clearly dissatisfied with the reply.

What the hell was going on around Byun family?

Why Baekbom’s files were confidential and why Baekhyun knew Yixing?

Why calling again after fifteen years?

How well Baekhyun knew Yixing and why did he pretend not to know him previously?

Who could Chanyeol ask to in order to know more about that story?

He didn’t want to go and ask Baekhyun’s parents, especially since he wasn’t sure about what relationship there was between them and if they would tell something to Baekhyun.

Yet there was… _Jae_.

Baekbom’s boyfriend.

It was like that, few evenings later, Chanyeol decided to visit _Bird_ almost near closing time.

He opened the sliding door, meeting Yoona’s stare.

“We are…” she started saying but then recognized Chanyeol and frowned shortly.

“Aren’t you Park-ssi? You came with Byun-ssi last time, right?” she asked him and Chanyeol nodded shortly, hinting a small bow.

“If you are looking for Byun-ssi, he went away few minutes ago. Maybe you can still…” she was saying but Chanyeol stopped her briefly with his hand, shaking his head.

“Actually I wanted to speak with Lee-ssi” he stated and Yoona frowned again deeply before nodding shortly, locking the sliding doors so that no one could enter.

Yoona walked toward the kitchen, making him gesture to follow her.

“Jae, there’s here Park-ssi. He wants to speak with you” she hollered, pushing open the door and finding Jae leaning on the counter, smoking slowly under the hood that was working to draw the smoke of his cigarette.

“Oh, unexpected meetings part two, tonight. It’s a pleasure seeing you again, Park-ssi” Jae stated and despite Yoona was clearly not okay with him smoking, he didn’t even make gesture to stop.

She huffed, shaking her head and going away.

There was a small silence and then Jae inhaled deeply, closing his eyes and drawing longer on the cigarette between his lips.

Same brand as Baekhyun’s.

Or maybe it was one of Baekhyun’s since he was there that night.

“If you are looking for Hyunnie, he went away already” Jae whispered but Chanyeol shook his head shortly, forcing a short smile.

“I’m here to speak about Byun’s brother actually” he retorted, making Jae frown deeply, immediately not leaning on the counter anymore, pressing his cigarette on the ashtray.

“Who are you and what you want? There’s nothing more to say” he stated, immediately way colder than before, not friendly anymore.

“I’m, uhm, _officer_ Park, actually, I’m working in Seoul Metropolitan Police as Byun did” he whispered, showing him his badge, and Jae huffed a laugh, shaking his head.

“And what do you want? Didn’t your colleagues already mess things up already? Want to worsen the situation even more?” Jae asked him, clicking his tongue, stare shifting away.

 _There’s nothing more to say_ meant that people already asked him about Baekbom, probably more and more times, enough that he didn’t want to speak about it anymore.

And _your colleagues messed things up already_ , made Chanyeol frown even deeper.

What did it mean?

That people already did a poor work on Baekbom’s case?

But suddenly he remembered also Yixing’s words: _things better hidden_ and _don’t mess with past things_.

And when Chanyeol didn’t reply immediately, still processing _everything_ in his head, Jae frowned, crossing the room and nearing Chanyeol.

“I swear to heavens, _officer_ , that if this is about Hyunnie or you are trying to do him something strange I’ll find a way to stop you. He’s the only person who still matters in my life, except my cousin Yoona and this place. I won’t lose someone else to you psychopaths” he menaced him, voice low and total nice appearance shifting to something way more threatening, despite their difference in height and Chanyeol being clearly trained when Jae wasn’t.

“No, Lee-ssi, really. I only have some questions on Byun. Baekbom, not Baekhyun” he tried again and Jae clicked his tongue again, shaking his head.

“I don’t have anything to say. Everything should be already in all your folders and archives, no? Why you are here?” Jae asked him, crossing his arm to his chest and Chanyeol inhaled deeply, showing him Baekbom’s folder.

“Your, uhm, boyfriend’s data are confidential. There’s nothing more than this” Chanyeol whispered, giving him the folder and Jae frowned shortly, taking the yellow file and opening it, browsing through the few pages.

“Are you kidding me?” he asked him and Chanyeol shook his head, gesturing again toward the file.

“That’s it. Nothing more. But I’m sure that someone is trying to cover whatever happened fifteen years ago, but I want to know. And finally give him what he really deserves not simply a medal of honor” Chanyeol stated fiercely, hoping that those words were the right ones to make Jae finally help him.

Jae’s eyes went wider in perplexity and he slowly bit his lips, focused in thought.

“You really don’t know what happened to Baekbom?” he asked him briefly, stare inquiring in Chanyeol’s, and when Chanyeol shook his head, Jae inhaled deeply, gesturing with his head the main room.

“Let’s… sit. I’ll ask Yoona to bring us some soju” he whispered, giving back the folder and exiting the kitchen, gesturing one of the tables to Chanyeol.

He sat down and Jae came back with two glasses and a bottle of soju, sitting down in front of him.

“When… Bom passed away he was investigating in something big” Jae started saying, uncorking the bottle and pouring the transparent liquid in both glasses.

“He never told me in detail, because… because I want to think that he wanted to protect me, but I knew that it wasn’t only that. There were _things_ wrong from the very start of it” Jae added, gulping down the first glass and Chanyeol drank a bit too.

“What was it about?” Chanyeol asked him softly and Jae pressed his lips in a thin line.

“Thefts. Of art pieces, from various museums” Jae replied and Chanyeol frowned shortly, finding some kind of affinity with that fucking _Thunder thief_ they were meddling with now.

“Are you… sure?” Chanyeol inquired briefly, trying to understand how sure Jae was about that information, but Jae shrugged his shoulders.

“Yeah, I mean, you can ask also Hyunnie. He was the one who realized that there was a scheme” Jae stated briefly and Chanyeol’s eyes went wider in perplexity.

“What the… Byun did?” Chanyeol asked him, trying to contain his voice even if the gears in his head now were going way faster than expected.

Jae shrugged his shoulders, nodding.

“Yeah. Hyunnie was working in one of the museums, I think he probably told you, it was one of his first works after such a… difficult adolescence” Jae added, shaking his head, stare getting fonder only at Baekhyun’s mention.

Chanyeol frowned even deeper.

 _Difficult adolescence_?

Did he mean with his parents or there was something more?

Jae inhaled deeply, starting to speak like Chanyeol already knew everything.

“After that mess he made with the school in which also police got involved, he really started to get into the straight path, even if he’s not exactly that straight either. Nice pair he did with his brother” he stated chuckling softly, probably thinking again at some episodes happened with Baekhyun and Baekbom.

And _wait_ , police got involved?

Why he didn’t find anything on Baekhyun’s past when he looked for him in the police’s archives?

Byun Baekhyun was clean as cloudless summer blue sky.

No charges neither in teen-ages.

What the hell was going on with Byun family?

That question was popping up way too frequently.

“After that, though, and thanks to Bom, he finally started working properly in different museums. He was really good. Too bad that after Bom’s passing, Hyunnie wasn’t the same. He got more reserved, silent and when I tried to ask him if there was something he wanted to talk about or if he just wanted to stay with me and Yoona a bit, he simply disappeared” Jae whispered, fingers carding through his hair and pouring himself more soju.

Chanyeol hummed in thought, nodding, convincing himself that probably Baekbom used his influence in police to cancel the charges on Baekhyun.

Even though it didn’t seem something that Baekhyun’s brother would do.

At least not in what Baekhyun said about him.

“What happened to Byun exactly?” Chanyeol asked him and Jae inhaled deeply, biting his lips, eyes glassy, tears coming up to them.

“H-Hyunnie called me that night. _They shot my brother_ , he simply stated and when I was still realizing everything that sentence meant, he simply added _I’m going to identify him. No need you come yet_. No use saying that I was there in less than half an hour” Jae started saying again, voice wavering under the weight of memories and hurt.

“Hyunnie didn’t let me enter in the morgue. I saw Bom only later, when he was prepared for the funeral, before the cremation. Hyunnie did all by himself, didn’t ask me nor their parents anything. I… don’t know what was going on, or how come Hyunnie knew it before their parents or why their parents were there only at the ritual and never again. But Hyunnie was… way too mature. For his age, for what was happening, for bearing the whole weight alone” Jae continued, stare getting sadder and sadder, drinking again all his glass before filling it again.

There was a small silence but before Chanyeol could ask something, whatever, Jae spoke up again.

“Hyunnie never… let me help him. And when I asked him what happened, if he knew where Bom was going that evening, if he had appointment with someone, if he knew if it was related to the case he was investigate in, Hyunnie stated that he knew nothing, maybe less than me. But I knew that there was something else, because as soon as _your colleagues_ decided to give Bom that medal, Hyunnie stopped working in the museums and opened that small antiquities shop he still has now” Jae stated, shrugging his shoulders, making Chanyeol frown deeply too.

It _definitely_ meant something.

“And he never told you anything?” Chanyeol asked him briefly, making Jae shake his head again.

“I told you, Hyunnie disappeared on me few weeks later, not a single contact before last time you came along too” Jae replied in a breath before gulping down another glass.

Chanyeol frowned even deeper that before.

What exactly happened that made Baekhyun and Baekbom work on the same thing, but then Baekbom got killed and Baekhyun lost his job, while his brother gained a medal?

And why there weren’t any records nor on Baekhyun’s work in those museums, nor on Baekbom’s death, nor in what they working into?

And was that case related to the one Chanyeol was following at the moment, reason why Baekhyun seemed interested in that case too, clearly willing to participate in those investigations since the very start?

Chanyeol carded his fingers through his hair, gulping down the remaining of the small glass of soju.

“You said that my colleagues already messed things up, what did you mean?” Chanyeol asked, earning himself a tired yet hating glare from Jae.

Chanyeol immediately shook his head shortly.

“I really don’t know and want to help you understand what really happened. But I need to know” Chanyeol continued and Jae inhaled deeply.

“This is your last question, _officer_ , and then I want you out of my restaurant and you won’t show up never again, if not in Hyunnie’s company” he stated and Chanyeol nodded shortly.

“After Bom’s death, other detectives came here asking questions about him. They were looking for something. They almost turned upside down our house, heavens knew why. They called him names, you know he wasn’t so… open about the relationship he had with me with his colleagues. Those years wasn’t easy being homosexual” Jae breathed briefly and Chanyeol pressed his lips in a thin line, nodding, clearly imagine the treatment that other officers or detective could have reserved Baekbom once they knew that he was gay.

“However, they never came back. I thought that Bom’s life would be cancelled from police archives, his death long forgotten and instead I read on the newspapers that he got a medal of honor, for dying in action, protecting his country. Such a bullshit” he concluded, closing the soju bottle and standing up, wobbling shortly.

Chanyeol gestured to help him, but Jae stepped back.

“I… don’t know what happened and neither asked myself, if you want to know. It was hard enough as it was and coping with the loss, took away all my energies. So, don’t ask me why they suddenly stopped coming or what made change their hearts. I just… took things as they came. You should ask Hyunnie about it, I’m sure he knows about it” he breathed, shaking his head before calling up Yoona.

She arrived immediately, frowning toward Jae being clearly tipsy, stare moving then on Chanyeol, judging.

“Yoona, officer Park is going away. Show him the way” he stated and Chanyeol bowed deeply toward Jae who shooed him away with a gesture of his hand.

He was almost at the end of the corridor when Jae spoke up, this time a bit louder to be heard by Chanyeol.

“If you hurt Hyunnie, I will find you, officer. It’s a promise” he stated and Chanyeol shook his head shortly.

“I won’t” he replied before exiting the restaurant under Yoona’s cold stare.

“Don’t come back, officer. And stay away from Byun-ssi too. Both him and Jae suffered enough already. Let them move on” she breathed before going back again and closing the door behind her.

And in Chanyeol’s head there were so many questions about everything.

If other officers or detectives knew about Baekbom being gay and they probably were looking for more proofs to shame him, degrading his life instead of acclaim it, why in the end Baekbom ended up having a medal and all the honors nevertheless?

What happened after his death?

And how much Baekhyun knew about that?

Chanyeol need to speak about it with Baekhyun, one way or another.

Unfortunately, it wasn’t like Chanyeol had only that to think about.

That fucking thief stole more items and went even more cocky with his cards.

Chanyeol couldn’t stand him anymore, enough to keep almost everyone inside the office as long as possible.

That evening, he was about to go away, thinking that being almost ten there wasn’t anybody else in the office apart from him.

Instead, when he exited his personal office, finding himself in the shared one, he noticed that Baekhyun fell asleep on Jondae’s desk, head leaning on his arms, probably waiting for the results of something he was processing on the computer, just in front of him and that was still searching.

He was about to touch Baekhyun’s shoulder to wake him up, telling him to go home, when Baekhyun’s phone pinged, notification clearly appearing on the screen.

_Mister Y: Tomorrow morning come up to my office_

_Mister Y: way more important than that farce you are putting up with Park._

_Mister Y: Don’t be late._

What the hell?

Chanyeol frowned deeply, trying to focus on that _Mister Y_.

Who the hell was he?

Wasn’t him Baekhyun’s contact and buyer?

And how he knew that Baekhyun was working with Chanyeol?

Chanyeol groaned lowly, swearing under his breath and he was about to wake up Baekhyun, to finally ask him what the hell was going on, but the computer beeped shortly, showing the result of Baekhyun’s research.

On the screen there was a big picture of one of the best detectives that Seoul Metropolitan Police ever had.

Detective Kang Woonho was popular for his excellent work in almost thirty plus years of service in the police.

He was very strong and willing to help even the younger rookies.

He was also close to retirement already and Chanyeol knew that they were making a collection for buying him a present.

Chanyeol never worked with him but knew him pretty well because he was way too famous inside the police.

And even outside, since he earned himself a lot of articles in local newspapers and so on.

What the hell Baekhyun was looking for?

And why Woonho exited as result?

Chanyeol inhaled deeply before turning off the computer and finally shaking Baekhyun awake.

“Byun, wake up” he breathed and Baekhyun sat up immediately, frowning, realizing slowly where he was.

“Oh shit” he groaned, fingers messing his hair up and looking at the hour on his wristwatch.

And even before Chanyeol could ask him something, Baekhyun picked up his phone and his jacket, speaking up, voice still low from slumber.

“I… I’m sorry. I’m late… I will see you tomorrow” he stated, fretting to put on his jacket, and he seemed to be panicked more than only late.

“Wherever you have to go, I’ll drive you. It will take less than with the metro” Chanyeol proposed him and Baekhyun frowned shortly but then check again his watch he… nodded.

“Yeah… I-I don’t know how I did to fall asleep, tonight of all nights” he breathed, putting on his jacket and starting to walk outside, followed by Chanyeol who was frowning deeply.

“What is that urgent?” Chanyeol asked him but Baekhyun hastened the pace, shaking his head.

“Let me make a call. I will be grateful if you could drive me there, though. Really” he whispered in reply even though it was a partial reply.

Baekhyun pressed the speed dial and pressed the phone against his ear, waiting while he exited and lit himself a cigarette.

Outside the air was cold and the sky cloudy but it didn’t rain nor snow.

Chanyeol guided Baekhyun toward his car and the call finally got through.

“Ah, Sister Mary, is Baekhyun here. I’m sorry about the late call, I’m leaving my workplace right now. Give me ten minutes and I’ll be there. Is the costume ready?” Baekhyun asked immediately and when on the other side a reply came, he sighed in relief.

“Perfect, perfect… I’m on my way. See you in a few” he concluded hanging up and entering Chanyeol’s car.

And _Sister Mary_?

What the hell?

“Where to?” Chanyeol asked him and Baekhyun gave him directions precisely, finally stopping in front of an old looking… orphanage?

Baekhyun force a short smile.

“Thanks Park, I’ll find a way to repay this debt” he stated, unfastening his safety belt, hand already on the door, ready to exit, but Chanyeol stopped him shortly.

“I have something to ask you, but it may require time. May I wait for you and then we speak in front of a beer or two?” Chanyeol asked him briefly, making Baekhyun frown deeply but then he sighed shortly.

“I’m… having a meeting with Santa Claus before. Are you sure you don’t want to come inside and not wait here?” Baekhyun asked him, gesturing toward the building and Chanyeol shook his head.

“Santa Claus doesn’t exist, Byun, what the…?” he started saying but Baekhyun pressed a finger on his lips, glaring at him.

“Not with this spirit. These kids wait for this night all year long. I won’t let you spoil it. So, if you want to come, fine, but do it only with Christmas feelings” he concluded, exiting the car, and moving quickly toward the entrance.

Chanyeol inhaled deeply, shaking his head.

He hated Christmas.

Despite that, he exited the car and followed Baekhyun inside.

“Sister Mary, I’m here” he stated smiling toward an old woman who was clearly waiting for him but frowned at Chanyeol’s presence.

Baekhyun shook his head shortly, smiling toward her.

“He’s here to learn. He never did it before” he briefly stated, without giving Chanyeol the time to even process what was happening.

Like he didn’t when, ten minutes later, Baekhyun exited the same room he entered before with Sister Mary, totally dressed as Santa Claus, all red and white, including white beard and small glasses on his nose.

“You are the shortest Santa I’ve ever seen, Byun” Chanyeol stated, shaking his head but Baekhyun stick out his tongue, moving to retrieve a big bag full of gifts, before moving to what seemed to be the main hall of the orphanage.

There were super loud cheers and Chanyeol followed, a bit interested of what was happening.

The hall was full of kids all ages, cheering for Santa Baekhyun who laughed lowly, imitating Santa Claus.

“Are you all being good this year?” he asked smiling to the kids that cheered loudly again.

Baekhyun’s stare moved to Sister Mary who nodded back at him.

“Ah, Sister Mary says you were good, so you really were” he continued, gesturing them to sit down and they all did, even though all their eyes remained on Baekhyun.

“I’ll call your name like all the years to give you your presents and then we will eat the cake together, is that fine kids?” he asked and they all cheered happily.

Baekhyun really seemed to like that and, even though it took more or less _an eternity_ to call all those names, Baekhyun never lost his smile, being all cutely smiling and patting their heads when he gave them their gifts.

It was so sweet that probably Chanyeol could get diabetes only looking at him.

After that, Sister Mary cut a big cake and gave both Baekhyun and Chanyeol, despite he didn’t do anything, a slice and they cheered with the kids.

Chanyeol hated Christmas, but seeing Baekhyun so happy and so different from usual it was… strange?

And made it stir something warm inside himself that usually wasn’t there.

The whole thing lasted more or less few hours more and then Baekhyun was free to go, _visit other kids in the world with his sleigh_ , and he finally changed himself back to his clothes and went back in the cold air with Chanyeol, even though his cheeks were red and he was smiling.

“You really hate Christmas, Park. I can’t believe it” he stated, shaking his head and lighting himself a cigarette, quickly smoking it before going to Chanyeol’s car.

Chanyeol groaned, shaking his head, clicking his tongue.

“I do, but you were a decent Santa Claus” he retorted getting a soft chuckle back, before Baekhyun finished his cigarette and pressed it in his ashtray.

“Let’s go then. You said you have something to ask me and I know it’s not on what to buy your nephew for Christmas” he whispered finally sitting down on Chanyeol’s car.

Chanyeol started to drive, still deciding on which bar he could bring Baekhyun, and deciding from what he could start, when he realized that there was a car that was probably following them.

Baekhyun was silent, but his stare was fixed on the small side mirror, so probably he realized it too.

“Officer, did you… do something to anger someone?” he asked toward Chanyeol who chuckled briefly, shaking his head, but changing his prefixed route.

“Not that I know” he replied briefly, shrugging his shoulders and noticing that the car followed them also in that new road.

Baekhyun whistled briefly, high and short.

“And they are not even doing a great job” Baekhyun observed before gesturing to another street at their left.

“Take this” he almost ordered him and Chanyeol frowned, but obeyed, turning.

The road got narrower, but still well paved and easy to drive in.

“Promise me you won’t ask me what we are about to do, but simply follow me?” Baekhyun asked him at a certain point and even before Chanyeol could ask him, Baekhyun pulled at the handbrake, bringing Chanyeol’s car to an abrupt halt.

“What the…” Chanyeol stated, after that he almost choked himself with the safety belt, but Baekhyun shook his head, making him gesture to follow him outside.

Chanyeol followed him immediately, locking his car behind them, even though he heard the other car approaching their same street.

Baekhyun guided him between tall buildings made of red walls and wall paintings.

“Byun where the fuck…?” he tried again but Baekhyun hushed him pulling up to rusty stairs and they realized again that they were followed.

Baekhyun guided him to a rooftop and then without much pleasantries, pushed Chanyeol in a small wooden closet full of rags, old brooms and that stank like humid and mold.

“Byun for fuck’s sake” Chanyeol breathed but Baekhyun pressed him against the side of the small closet to close the door behind them, hiding them to the people who were following them.

“Byun” Chanyeol stated again, this time lower and angrier, even though it didn’t last much.

Especially because Baekhyun was literally plastered against him.

He was way smaller than Chanyeol, smelt heavenly in that hell of dirty, and Chanyeol could feel all the parts that were in contact with Baekhyun catching fire.

There was _something_ that physically attracted him to Baekhyun.

The scent or maybe how he looked beautiful with that few light filtering from the rotten wooden planks.

Or simply the fact that despite his height, Chanyeol knew that Baekhyun had a nice built, still remembering one of the first time they saw each other and Baekhyun took off his hoodie and t-shirt in front of him.

“Uh, Park, is this your gun or are you extremely happy of being pressed inside here with me?” Baekhyun whispered against Chanyeol’s neck and Chanyeol groaned lowly, shaking his head.

Baekhyun’s breath on his neck was tickling pleasantly, warm compared to the cold weather.

“Oh, shut up for heavens’ sake” he retorted quickly, trying to adjust his position realizing that he was indeed hard and probably Baekhyun could feel it pretty well.

“D-Don’t move” Baekhyun breathed in reply and… was that half a moan or was it only Chanyeol’s impression?

He pressed slightly with his leg against Baekhyun’s body and, well, yeah… they shared the same condition apparently.

“You don’t own any gun, though” Chanyeol observed, but Baekhyun clicked his tongue, pressing better against him.

“And you have yours near your shoulder, so, yeah…” he countered pressing his fingers on Chanyeol’s left shoulder, just above where he had the holster with his gun, making Chanyeol blush softly, grateful that Baekhyun couldn’t see it.

And he was about to comment about that, but Baekhyun pressed again a finger on his lips.

“Sh. They are here” he breathed shutting both down and outside there were low noises, words that Chanyeol couldn’t properly catch up.

Suddenly, from the silence, a louder voice spoke up.

“Don’t lose time, they are not here anymore, we will look for them separately in the next days. Boss said no worries and without raising suspects” the voice said and Chanyeol frowned because it seemed familiar, but he couldn’t understand whose it was.

There were other noises and slamming doors in distance and then the silence.

They stayed there silently waiting for some new voices but apart from city background noises nothing more came.

“Let’s do like this. I’ll open the door, you take off your gun. Be ready if there’s someone” Baekhyun stated and he was convinced of his plan, enough to convince also Chanyeol.

And so they did.

Baekhyun pressed slightly against the door, opening it and Chanyeol exited with his gun out and ready, but there was no one.

Baekhyun sat on the floor, shaking his head, fingers carding through his hair.

“What the fuck, Park. Nobody ever tried to kill me up until now. You sure you didn’t ask wrong things around?” Baekhyun asked him, scrunching his nose in distaste.

Chanyeol sighed deeply, putting away his gun and looking at Baekhyun sitting on the floor.

“How did you know this place?” Chanyeol asked him, immediately diverging the subject.

He didn’t like how Baekhyun _directed_ whatever happened in the last half an hour.

Chanyeol was a serious officer, with honors and quite a bit of years of service on his shoulders.

How come a newbie, know everything as Baekhyun felt it was _right_ directing Chanyeol like that?

Especially guiding them in an unknown place, leaving Chanyeol’s car _somewhere_ and pushing them both inside a stinky closet.

“Jae lives around here” Baekhyun stated, sitting up and before Chanyeol could counter something, he clicked his tongue shaking his head.

“Let’s go. We can’t be here long, what if they come back?” Baekhyun whispered, moving again toward the same rusty stairs they came up from.

“Byun, wait” Chanyeol started saying but Baekhyun was already going down, and more or less unhearing of Chanyeol calling him.

“Byun, I said wait” Chanyeol repeated, closing the distance between them and taking Baekhyun’s wrist in his hand, pulling and forcing him to turn around.

Baekhyun turned but he was already shaking his head.

“We can’t be here, Park. What if…” he started saying and they both heard a sound, like people coming up from the stairs.

“Shut it” Chanyeol breathed and pushed Baekhyun toward the wall, leaning down toward him and he knew that probably it wasn’t the right way to react at someone coming up and asking them what they were doing there, but he closed even more that distance, few inches separating his lips from Baekhyun’s.

Baekhyun’s eyes went slightly wider in perplexity but he didn’t flinch, stare looking inside Chanyeol’s, unmoving.

Baekhyun was… _pretty_ from that near.

His eyelashes were long and under that light it seemed that there were stars inside his eyes.

Not to mention how his lips were smooth-looking and rose.

“Will you shut it and pretend to kiss me while whoever is coming up from these stairs won’t pass us?” Chanyeol whispered softly, hardly audibly probably also for Baekhyun who was in front of him.

However, Baekhyun didn’t even flinched at the suggestion.

“Why pretending?” he asked back and even before Chanyeol could realize what _that_ meant, Baekhyun pulled at Chanyeol’s collar, closing that small space that still existed between them and pushing his lips against Chanyeol’s, slowly kissing him.

Baekhyun still tasted like that cake Sister Mary offered them and his lips were incredibly soft and smooth, tasting vaguely of chemical strawberry too, probably some kind of lip balm Baekhyun used.

Chanyeol felt him licking at his bottom lip, deepening the kiss and Chanyeol replied, biting briefly Baekhyun’s bottom lip, who let him in, tongues meeting and Chanyeol was… weirdly aroused by that whole thing.

Maybe it was still the physical memory of the closet few minutes before, or probably the adrenaline, but it was… hot.

Like Baekhyun in general.

Chanyeol barely registered a male voice passing them by and whispering a short _these youngsters can’t even keep it decent_ , and gripped slightly harder his hand on Baekhyun’s side, making him hum softly in the kiss, fingers carding through Chanyeol’s hair and pulling him down.

They kissed slowly until they couldn’t hear anymore the man’s footsteps and Baekhyun gently pushed Chanyeol away from him, stare only briefly meeting his.

“You are half-decent, officer” he breathed making Chanyeol snort, shaking his head.

“You almost hurt me, Byun. I thought at least I managed to get you as hard as before” Chanyeol retorted immediately, making Baekhyun halt before he could chuckle softly shaking his head.

“You are way too far from that, Park. No need to worry… Or do we want to talk about your _gun_ too?” Baekhyun asked back again, shrugging his shoulders and finally going down the stairs, followed by Chanyeol who snorted shaking his head.

Chanyeol wasn’t a big flirt, usually, but Baekhyun kind of enthralled him and made _things_ move inside him, looking for more reactions from Baekhyun and more actions too.

But before that, there was more relevant matters.

“So, Lee-ssi live around here?” Chanyeol asked him and Baekhyun hummed shortly in reply, nodding but not adding anything else.

“And… he lived here with your brother?” Chanyeol continued, making Baekhyun stop near Chanyeol’s car and turning around, frowning.

“He… yeah, he did” he replied briefly, shifting his stare away, and Chanyeol decided to tell Baekhyun about his meeting with Jae.

“I met Lee-ssi few evenings ago…” he started saying and Baekhyun shrugged his shoulders, nodding.

“I know. Jae… called me after you went there. He was drunk as I never heard him, neither after my brother’s funeral. He told me to stay away from you, that you are _fucking officer_ and that he didn’t want to lose also _the other Byun boy_. So yeah, I know you went there and hurt him, despite what I told you” Baekhyun stated, voice low and hard, gesturing Chanyeol to unlock the car.

Chanyeol hummed briefly, unlocking it and they both sat inside, Baekhyun gripping harder on his cigarette packet, but putting it away immediately.

“You can smoke inside if you want” Chanyeol granted but Baekhyun shook his head.

“Don’t want to taint your precious car with smoke, Park” he replied looking outside the window and not adding anything.

There was a short silence and then Chanyeol sighed, starting the engine.

“I’m… sorry about having consulted Lee-ssi, but I need replies” Chanyeol stated, starting to drive and Baekhyun shook his head.

“You don’t. I don’t know why you are fixed with my brother’s death, Park. He’s… dead. There’s nothing more that matters” Baekhyun stated, shaking his head and adding a short _please bring me home or let me near a metro station_.

Chanyeol hummed, nodding, but then bit his lips briefly.

“Your brother’s death is mysterious, Byun. All the details are lacking, especially from the whole mission he was in. And Lee-ssi told me that…” Chanyeol started saying but Baekhyun interrupted him immediately with a gesture of his hand.

“Jae knows nothing. And I don’t either” he declared, shortly and definitive but Chanyeol groaned lowly, shaking his head.

“You helped your brother with that mission! Finding connections between the thefts” he retorted raising slightly his voice, angrily and not understanding why Baekhyun didn’t want to speak about the whole matter and, despite being clear that Chanyeol knew several things, pretending that Baekhyun himself knew nothing at all.

“I didn’t. I knew nothing of anything he was working into. And now stop the car and let me go home with the metro” he stated shaking once again his head, tone cold and determined, and when Chanyeol tried to interject that the first metro station was distant, Baekhyun glared at him.

“I said, stop this fucking car and let me go with the metro, Park” he repeated, hand already on the handle of the door and Chanyeol inhaled deeply, pulling over the pavement.

“Byun, I…” he started saying but Baekhyun was already unfastening his safety belt.

“You should stop investigating on things that don’t concern your task. _Thunder thief_ is already way too much for you, let alone whatever my brother was working on” Baekhyun concluded opening the door and exiting the car, only shortly leaning down to shortly hint at Chanyeol.

“See ya, officer. Enjoy your night” he concluded walking away and Chanyeol groaned lowly, resting his head on the steering wheel, closing his eyes.

Not only he didn’t gain anything new from Baekhyun, but he also made him angry and close up again, losing any chance he had that Baekhyun wholly told him everything about his brother.

Chanyeol wanted to slap himself so bad.

And as if that wasn’t enough, Chanyeol couldn’t avoid thinking about that kiss and how Baekhyun was perfect and soft yet sensual near him.

Also in that small stinky closet.

Baekhyun had some physical effects on Chanyeol, despite him liking it or not.

The following day, Baekhyun didn’t go to the police station.

“Did you hear anything from Byun?” Chanyeol asked briefly toward Jondae who shook his head, a bit worried.

“No, I… we talked yesterday before I was going away but he was normal. Maybe he caught a cold?” Jondae tried shortly and Chanyeol hummed nodding even though, seeing the previous night happenings, he was worried too.

Maybe those men got him while he was going back at home?

Or that morning while Baekhyun was going toward the police station?

And he was worrying even more when Jondae tried to call him but it immediately when on the calling machine.

The same though, happened also the day after and other after and so on for almost a week.

Apparently Baekhyun caught really a cold, or so it seemed from the messages he sent to Jondae, but Jondae wasn’t exactly convinced of it, let alone Chanyeol.

Especially considering that Baekhyun was very proud of the fact that he _never_ got ill in his life.

It took almost five days before Chanyeol could see Baekhyun again.

That day, Chanyeol was going back to his office from the cafeteria and in the corridors, saw Yixing talking with Baekhyun.

It seemed like they were having an argument and while Chanyeol thought if it was the case to intervene or not, Baekhyun shook his head again and went away leaving Yixing standing in the middle of the corridor and shaking his head too, clearly pissed off.

And Chanyeol wanted to go and meet Baekhyun, asking if he was fine and if he was in the conditions to help them again, but Yixing stopped him with a small gesture of his hand.

“Park, everything’s fine?” he asked him and Chanyeol nodded before gesturing toward the end of the corridor.

“Was he Byun?” he retorted shortly, like he didn’t care about it and Yixing nodded shortly.

“He came to ask me some things about the retirement benefits of his brother” he replied briefly and Chanyeol hummed, nodding too even though it didn’t quite seem like that.

“Was he fine?” Chanyeol asked him and Yixing frowned shortly, stare looking for Chanyeol’s.

“Yeah, he seemed so, yeah” he replied honestly, but slightly worried all of a sudden due to Chanyeol’s question.

“It’s just that it’s few days now that he’s not coming around here to help us as before. Maybe Christmas sales are more important at the moment” he joked shortly, shrugging his shoulders and Yixing forced a chuckle too, nodding.

“Indeed. Civilians don’t know the struggle, right?” he concluded before waiving at Chanyeol and going back to his office.

There was indeed something strange happening.

Something that Chanyeol couldn’t rationally explain.

Reason why he left work earlier just to go and see if Baekhyun’s store was open and if he would manage to exchange few words.

However, he found it close.

All the beautiful lanterns he saw outside one of the last times he went there, weren’t there anymore and the lights inside the shop were all off.

He tried to push the door, but obviously it was closed.

And despite knowing where Baekhyun lived, did he have any _real_ reason to go there?

Baekhyun was fine, apparently, since he went to visit Yixing that morning, even though it was clear that the reason wasn’t the one Yixing gave Chanyeol.

Chanyeol’s visit would only end up in being something wrong again, something that neither of them probably needed in that moment.

Even though, Chanyeol hated to admit it, he was worried about Baekhyun.

All that silence and those lies didn’t promise anything good.

Not that Chanyeol wasn’t used already to Baekhyun’s hidden truths.

Yet, he was worried.

Especially seeing what happened the last time he saw him and how those men were really looking for them and Chanyeol was trained, but Baekhyun?

How could he defend for himself?

Chanyeol inhaled deeply, before pushing his hands in his pockets and starting to walk back to the parking place where he left his car.

And he was almost there when he heard calling from behind.

“Officer Park” the voice called him and it was clearly Jae’s.

He turned around frowning, sure that if they ever met in the streets, Jae would pass him by without even greeting.

Instead in that moment he was almost running toward him.

“Lee-ssi, nice to see you. Hope you are doing fine” Chanyeol greeted him but Jae frowned deeply, shaking his head.

“Stop messing around and tell me where’s Hyunnie” he stated immediately, staring back at Chanyeol who frowned deeply shaking his head.

“I… don’t know where he is. I hoped to find him in the shop but he’s not there” Chanyeol replied shortly, shrugging his shoulders but Jae was already shaking his head too.

“You don’t understand, officer. He disappeared on me again” Jae retorted but Chanyeol hummed briefly, shrugging his shoulders.

“I don’t know where he is, Lee-ssi. Sorry to hear that he hasn’t contacted you, but he didn’t with me either” Chanyeol explained softly and he could really feel Jae’s sadness.

He felt the same.

Chanyeol wanted to see Baekhyun again, knowing that he was safe and his usual smartass self again.

And after that Jae decided that, no, Chanyeol didn’t know anything and they parted their ways, Chanyeol went back home, laying on his couch almost without changing his clothes, simply removing his jacket, rolling up his sleeves and opening the first buttons of his shirt.

He felt dead tired and he wanted to know more about Baekhyun and his story and what was happening in his life.

Even though Baekhyun didn’t want to and wouldn’t ever let him in.

It took a week more before Baekhyun, way thinner and tired than before, came back to the police station.

He was wearing a black suit with a white shirt, complete with dark necktie too.

Way too formal for _usual_ Baekhyun.

When he entered from the door, the appreciative _oh_ was general.

“Baek! How are you? Are you feeling any better?” Jondae asked him and Baekhyun smiled softly, nodding.

“Yeah, thanks for worrying Dae. Way better than before” he replied and they chatted shortly before Baekhyun could nod shortly toward Chanyeol.

“Hope Dae told you I wasn’t feeling exactly good” he stated lowly, almost a breath and what more of that sounded like an excuse?

Chanyeol simply nodded, though, gesturing Junmyeon and Jondae to update Baekhyun on what happened during those days in which Baekhyun wasn’t there.

And only at lunch break, when everybody went to eat except Baekhyun who had a small bento from heavens know where, Chanyeol finally had a moment to speak with him alone.

“Why so formal today?” Chanyeol asked him, leaning on the desk and looking at Baekhyun fidgeting with his phone.

“It was… my brother’s memorial today” he replied not even glancing toward Chanyeol who inhaled deeply, fingers carding through his hair.

“I’m sorry to hear that. Did you, uhm, go there with Lee-ssi?” Chanyeol asked him softly, trying to be polite, and Baekhyun let out a sarcastic chuckle.

“Does it make any difference? No, I went alone. I don’t like people being with me when I’m on my lowest, officer. Sorry if I’m human too” Baekhyun whispered in reply, slightly gripping harder on his phone before pocketing it and closing again the small bento, almost untouched.

Chanyeol wanted to say something but Baekhyun sat up swiftly, picking up his cigarette and making gesture to leave the office.

“Byun” Chanyeol called him, stopping Baekhyun with his hand on the handle of the door, half turned around, waiting for him to speak up.

His stare was… tired.

There were _things_ that Baekhyun was facing in that moment that Chanyeol didn’t know and, even though he wanted simply to help, Baekhyun wouldn’t share with him not in that moment and probably never.

“I’m sorry for… last time. I didn’t want to push that hard with old matters. However, I’m here if there’s something, _whatever_ , you want to talk about” he breathed and Baekhyun’s eyes went slightly wider in perplexity before he could let out another sarcastic chuckle, stare even sadder than before.

“Sure, Park. That’s kind of you” he replied, exiting the room, and his tone was everything but relieved.

How in the world was he supposed to make Baekhyun trust him?

Even just a bit?

Chanyeol swore under his breath, fingers carding through his hair, sitting down again at his desk and picking up for the nth time all the papers about _Fearless Light_.

Chanyeol was more than ever decided to focus on that and that only.

There was something they were all missing for sure.

But _what_?

And Chanyeol decide to visit back some of the museums that fucking thief stole from.

He went there alone, leaving the command to Jondae, sure that everything would have been fine even without him around.

He spoke with several directors of those museums, investigating again and again on the same rooms, same exits, same witnesses.

Chanyeol was almost going away from the last one, when a tall woman that he remembered for one of the first time he went there to retrieve Baekhyun and Jondae that were _measuring the room_ , neared him, stopping him.

“Officer, I’m sorry to stop you, I just wanted to know if Byun-ssi is still helping you…” she started saying and Chanyeol frowned shortly before nodding.

“Sure, he’s a… precious help” he added politely smiling at her and she beamed back at him starting to tell him how wonderful Baekhyun was and how solar and funny he was and how much he helped her museum also in the past.

And were they speaking of the same person?

“Byun worked for you in the past right?” Chanyeol asked her shortly, hoping that maybe the woman could remember something about that time that maybe also had connections with Baekbom’s mission.

“Sure did! He was so excellent, too bad he had to go away” she breathed and Chanyeol hummed briefly, question already on his lips.

“Why he did go away?” he asked her briefly and she inhaled deeply, pressing her lips in a thin line.

“I’m… not sure exactly, but I know that it’s not the first time we had thefts in our museum, officer Park. And I know that Byun-ssi helped solving those together with another detective… uhm, I can’t quite remember his name, now…” she started saying and Chanyeol frowned shortly.

“Wasn’t it with his brother, Byun Baekbom?” he asked her and she hummed shortly, shaking her head.

“No, his brother came in later, but at first he was working with a Chinese man…” she continued, trying to remember and Chanyeol frowned deeply.

“Was he Zhang Yixing?” he inquired again, and no… it couldn’t be Yixing.

Why keeping it secret that he knew Baekhyun apart from Baekbom’s death?

And why stopping him from helping Chanyeol with the new investigations?

The woman though brightened up, nodding.

“Yeah! It was exactly that name, even though Byun-ssi found a really quick to remember nickname for him. He always called Mr. Zhang _Mister Y_ ” she added and Chanyeol’s eyes went wider in perplexity.

What the _actual fuck_?

 _Mister Y_ was Yixing?

What about the whole exchange with people who maybe could find those stolen items on the black market and so on?

Which fucking relationship did those two had?

Because it was clear that it wasn’t only related to Baekhyun’s brother anymore.

Chanyeol thanked again the woman before exiting the museum more decided than ever to finally face that matter with Yixing.

And he wouldn’t have accepted half-assed excuses as before.

He wanted to finally have clear and proper replies.

When he went back to the police department, of his own team there wasn’t anybody, neither Baekhyun, but Chanyeol was sure that Yixing was still there.

He saw the lights on from the street in Yixing’s office.

Chanyeol never took the stairs that quickly just not to wait the elevator.

That story was becoming shadier and shadier, so difficult to find a silver lining to all those small fragments Chanyeol was slowly gathering around.

And he was about to slam open that fucking door when from inside he heard Yixing talking.

“I know, Baek and you are right… No, you can’t tell Park about this yet” he started saying but it was clear that Baekhyun wasn’t there with him, but they were speaking at the phone.

There was a small silence, during which Chanyeol remained immobile and listening.

“No, yeah, you are right but what if…” Yixing tried again, but apparently Baekhyun, on the other side, stopped him again, because Yixing inhaled deeply, shutting himself up again.

It was strange to hear him being shut off by someone, especially a civilian like Baekhyun.

“You know that this will open something like the Pandora box, right?” Yixing retorted, but he was resigned, probably already knowing that Baekhyun would definitely do things his own way.

As per usual.

Not that there was a different possibility when Baekhyun was involved.

“Yeah then tomorrow talk about it with Park and… I don’t know, let me know if you need something. I only pray that you are right, Baek, because if you are mistaking…” Yixing tried again but once again Baekhyun cut him off, abruptly.

Chanyeol frowned shortly.

What Baekhyun was willing to share with him the day after?

And should he wait for Baekhyun before try and speak with Yixing?

However, Yixing chuckled softly, a bit relieved.

“I know you are never wrong, but still… there’s always a first time?” Yixing replied, but his tone was way lighter, almost too light, comforted by Baekhyun’s words.

Who the hell was Baekhyun?

And Chanyeol, after being sure that Yixing greeted and closed the call with Baekhyun, decided to wait until the day after for whatever Baekhyun wanted to share with him.

The day after, though, Chanyeol was woken up with the worst sensation ever and Jondae calling him at six thirty in the morning just to tell him that that fucking thief stole something again, worsened the feeling even more.

Especially since, there was the first victim since the very start.

A night guardian.

It was the first time ever that that _freak_ actually killed someone.

“Fine, call Byun. Let’s meet there” he concluded, groaning lowly and sitting up from the couch where, once again, he ended up sleeping the night before.

He was getting older and that life couldn’t suit him for much more.

Chanyeol was always so busy with everything that he almost forgot that in few days it was Christmas and he promised to leave his team with their families, at least in that day.

But now, with a murder…

He groaned again, shaking his head and feeling even more stressed than the night prior.

As that fucking thief wasn’t enough, there was all Baekhyun and Baekbom’s story which made Chanyeol even more pensive and made him lose focus on other things that could be more important.

Let alone that short moment they had what seemed _months_ ago.

Chanyeol could still feel Baekhyun’s body against his and how his lips were perfect against his own.

He got immediately hard only at the memory, slapping himself for being that idiot.

That gay.

And even that pathetic, since he couldn’t even manage a one-night stand, let alone a one-night stand _with Baekhyun_.

He took a shower, cold in order to tone down his erection, and while he was dressing up, his phone rang again and… was it again Jondae?

It wouldn’t have any sense but…

Chanyeol went back in the living room to check his phone and Baekhyun’s ID was appearing on the screen.

“Hello?” he started neutrally, not knowing exactly what Baekhyun wanted that early in the morning and not knowing if Jondae already called him or not.

“Park, it’s Baekhyun. I have to talk with you… it’s about your _Thunder thief_ ” Baekhyun’s voice stated quickly and he seemed like he was rushing, maybe running.

And about the _Thunder thief_?

Was it somehow related to the conversation that Baekhyun had the previous night with Yixing?

“What the…? Byun, where are you? Can’t you wait a bit? Didn’t Jondae called you?” Chanyeol asked briefly, frowning about the tone and Baekhyun exhaled deeply, clicking his tongue.

“No, yeah… he did. But I have something to tell you _before_ we go there, and we meet with the others” Baekhyun replied hastily and Chanyeol hummed shortly.

“Okay, okay… fine. I’m still at home and I don’t know. Want to…” Chanyeol started saying but Baekhyun stopped him immediately.

“I’m getting to your place. Finish whatever you were doing. Be there in five” he replied and Chanyeol was about to ask him _how in the bloody hell_ he knew where Chanyeol lived, but Baekhyun hung up.

Chanyeol sighed deeply, shaking his head, going toward the kitchen and preparing himself a coffee, because he needed more than one despite being no more than seven in the morning.

And maybe Baekhyun wanted one too.

It took really five minutes for Baekhyun to finally show up to Chanyeol’s door, bell ringing shortly.

Chanyeol opened the door, meeting the drenched and utterly wet presence that should be Baekhyun.

“Umbrellas, these unknown friends…” Chanyeol noted, stare moving on Baekhyun’s dripping hair and on his jacket which was even wetter, probably wetting also the sweater below it.

“We don’t have time. Are you ready?” Baekhyun asked him but Chanyeol shook his head.

“Where do you plan on going drenched like that?” Chanyeol retorted immediately, arching his eyebrow, judging.

And when Baekhyun opened his mouth to speak up, Chanyeol shook his head.

“Not under my watch, Byun. Enter” he whispered, going back inside the house and letting open the door for Baekhyun to follow back in.

Baekhyun entered, warily, way too politely for his usual behavior.

He took off his shoes in the entryway and followed Chanyeol back to the kitchen.

“Take off your jacket” Chanyeol stated and Baekhyun huffed, but complied, taking it off, revealing a black hoodie under it that was equally drenched in the shoulders area.

“And the hoodie too” Chanyeol added, gesturing it with his hands.

When Baekhyun groaned shortly, shaking his head, but taking it off emptying the pockets of both on Chanyeol’s table, Chanyeol went to put both in the dryer machine and came back with one of his hoodies, giving it to Baekhyun.

“Here” he simply whispered before pouring coffee also for Baekhyun.

On the table there wasn’t much.

Only two packages of cigarette, two lighters, Baekhyun’s old iPhone, a chewing gums package and a convenience store point card.

“Milk? Sugar?” Chanyeol asked him, trying not to pry too much on the contents of Baekhyun’s pockets, and Baekhyun nodded briefly putting on Chanyeol’s hoodie, muttering a short _more like a Latte, please_ , that Chanyeol found adorable.

He brought him also a towel to dry a bit his hair and gestured him to sit down.

“It’s late, Park, we…” Baekhyun started saying putting again the things inside his pockets and starting to half-dry his hair with the towel, but Chanyeol shook his head sitting down too.

“You have something to tell me and I’m willing to listen. _Now_ , Byun. We will go when you’re done” he retorted immediately and Baekhyun inhaled deeply before nodding and sitting in front of Chanyeol on the high stool of Chanyeol’s kitchen.

It was almost comical yet cute how Baekhyun’s feet didn’t even reach the floor while he was sitting so high.

“I… there’s something I have to tell you about _Fearless Light_ , Park” he started briefly and Chanyeol frowned shortly, nodding, even though it was strange that Baekhyun called the thief with his real name and not the nickname universally accepted in their team and that Jondae invented.

“This… _murder_ can’t be our thief’s doing” he stated seriously, and he was so convinced about it that Chanyeol didn’t even think about making light of his statement.

Even though, how could Baekhyun know with that certainty that it wasn’t _Thunder thief_ ’s doing?

“You can’t be sure about that, Byun. Maybe something went wrong and he…” Chanyeol started saying but Baekhyun stopped him immediately with a small gesture of his hand.

“I know for sure, Park. Because I’m _Fearless Light_ and this is not my doing” Baekhyun stated as it was the most obvious thing in the world, and Chanyeol’s eyes went wider in perplexity before he could let out a sarcastic chuckle, shaking his head.

“Byun, really? If this is a joke, it’s really bad taste and we are both wasting time…” he started saying but Baekhyun’s stare was on his, unmoving and clear, before Baekhyun clicked his tongue, shaking his head.

“Xing was right. You are like all the others” Baekhyun breathed, sitting up but Chanyeol’s stopped him, gripping on his wrist.

“Wait” he stated, voice low and gently pulling at Baekhyun’s wrist in his hand.

It felt so slender and thin, yet strong and warm.

“Are you… for real?” Chanyeol asked him, stare inquiring, trying to understand Baekhyun’s behavior beyond his words and Baekhyun hummed shortly, nodding.

Chanyeol inhaled deeply, fingers carding through his hair.

“What… How? And why?” Chanyeol asked him, clearly not understanding what was happening.

“I… started because I realized that I could, but then I made few mistakes and Xing arrested me. Instead of giving me jail or fees, he proposed me a deal. _Fearless Light_ is a cover up for a bigger anti money-laundering mission involving famous artworks” Baekhyun explained briefly, making Chanyeol frown shortly, shaking his head.

“So, wait. Wait” he stated, putting his hands in front of him, trying to understand.

Baekhyun was a thief.

 _Fearless Light_.

And once Yixing arrested him.

They knew already because Yixing helped him in the past with his brother’s death.

Yixing proposed him a deal instead of jail or other penalties, maybe including his shop too.

So they were working together in a jointed mission with anti-money-laundering department.

He and Yixing.

That was why they knew that well.

That was why Yixing was… _Mister Y_.

“W-Why did you join the investigations then? I mean, if you really are _Fearless Light_ ” Chanyeol asked him and Baekhyun inhaled deeply, fingers carding again through his hair, biting softly his lips.

“Xing asked me to do it. To, uhm, keep an eye on you guys, making it seems like I was helping, but actually having great care to hide the actual truth” Baekhyun replied shortly, sitting down again and drinking his latte and never Chanyeol felt that… _fooled_ as that moment.

Even though he could clearly get why Baekhyun acted that way especially if it was linked to his own shop or, well, not going to jail.

“And… you don’t… I mean, this new case, the murder, it’s not your…” he started saying, clearly still processing things and Baekhyun shook his head deeply.

“I would never. All my works are made quickly and when no one is around. I _never_ even hurt someone” Baekhyun clarified, shaking his head, stare not leaving Chanyeol who inhaled deeply again, nodding.

“Okay, so… There’s someone who’s _emulating_ you?” Chanyeol asked him, trying to get the grasp of all that discourse even though it was difficult to rationalize that Baekhyun was indeed _Fearless Light_ that fucking thief that they all looked for, and Baekhyun nodded shortly, briefly, like it was so _damn obvious_ and Chanyeol was so pissed off that he could probably raze to the ground the whole neighborhood just with a stress wave in that moment.

How he was supposed to behave now?

Should they start back from zero?

And was it better to tell the others about that or no?

“And the whole thing with your brother…” Chanyeol started saying and Baekhyun frowned deeply.

“I… know nothing of that. I simply provided technical help, but I never took part in the _real_ investigations. You can ask also to Xing. He worked with my brother a bit. But you are raising old dust for nothing, Park. That case is over and there’s nothing more to do or to say. We should focus on the present now” Baekhyun whispered, fingers carding through his hair that was still half-wet.

Chanyeol inhaled even deeper than before, nodding briefly.

“Zhang knows that you are telling me this?” he asked him cautiously and Baekhyun bit his lips shortly, nodding.

“Yesterday I called him and… he wasn’t exactly on the same idea? However, I insisted. And, uhm, seeing what Dae told us, I found it even more necessary” Baekhyun whispered briefly and… was there red on his cheeks or was it Chanyeol’s impression.

He hummed briefly, leaning his head on the side.

“Should I feel honored, Byun?” Chanyeol asked him, inquiring and Baekhyun clicked his tongue, before shrugging his shoulders.

“You should. I never told it to anyone else before you, except Xing” Baekhyun retorted shaking his head and Chanyeol chuckled softly, nodding.

“Let’s… keep it secret a while more from the others then. We will be the only ones knowing that this particular case is not from the _Fearless Light_ , okay?” he proposed and Baekhyun pressed his lips in a thin line, stare glancing toward Chanyeol, pondering.

“Deal. But we better move, I don’t want Dae and the others to start a half-assed job for nothing” Baekhyun stated making Chanyeol chuckle softly, nodding.

“Your… clothes are still in the drier, though. Want me to borrow you a jacket too?” Chanyeol asked him and Baekhyun inhaled deeply, before shaking his head.

“I don’t want your guys thinking that we have… _something_ ” Baekhyun replied briefly, making Chanyeol frown, before he could shake shortly his head.

“They know I’m a hardworking officer down to the core. And you are too cute for me” Chanyeol stated in reply even though in the very same moment those words left his lips, he knew that he just defined Baekhyun _cute_.

For heavens’ sake, what the fuck was wrong with him?

Baekhyun giggled softly, shaking his head, but on his lips there was again that soft and delicate smile that Chanyeol liked a lot.

And that sound was _indeed_ the cutest.

“I’m glad to know that you find me _cute_ , Park, even though usually I’m not exactly going for that concept?” he retorted shortly, sitting up again and Chanyeol chuckled briefly, nodding toward the difference between their heights and how they were sitting on the high stools of Chanyeol’s kitchen.

“Well, since you have such a petite size” Chanyeol noted and Baekhyun’s eyes went wider in perplexity before he could gently slap Chanyeol’s shoulder.

“How dare you? I’m _differently_ tall” he retorted, puffing his cheeks, and yeah… definitely cute.

“Sure, sure. And you know this is aggression to public officer?” Chanyeol asked back at him, making Baekhyun groan lowly, shaking his head.

“Park… for heavens’ sake” he started saying but Chanyeol stopped him shortly.

“Let me lend you a jacket and let’s go to where the others are” Chanyeol stated, finally making him accept the whole _lending_ thing.

Seeing Baekhyun wearing his clothes was… strange.

They fit baggy style as Baekhyun liked to wear so there wouldn’t be any problem in justifying a slightly different change in style compared to usual, but it made something warm flutter inside Chanyeol.

Chanyeol didn’t know what it was, but he made sure to ignore it while he picked up the umbrella before exiting the apartment together with Baekhyun.

They went down to the parking place and then to Chanyeol’s car.

“Listen…” Chanyeol started when they sat inside, before turning the engine on.

Baekhyun turned toward him, humming in reply, looking way younger than his actual age.

His lips were slightly parted, rose and plump as they always were, still making Chanyeol wonder if Baekhyun used a particular lip balm to keep them that smooth and always _glossy_.

“I… since you are calling everyone with their names, it feels weird that we are still on the surname basis?” Chanyeol said trying to sound nonchalant but knowing that he actually cared about that matter.

It was one of the things he started slowly to notice as he started taking interest in Baekhyun and his story.

Baekhyun never even _tried_ proposing him calling each other by name, even when with Jondae it took less than a week to go from _officer Kim_ to _Dae_.

Sure that Chanyeol’s team was made by all _Kims_ , but going from surname directly to such a nice nickname was… more than a progress.

And Baekhyun was also the only one that gave Yixing a nickname.

Which was… admirable, since Yixing was famous to be pretty strict on everything, especially on police hierarchies.

“I… thought that you were strict with these pleasantries, Park, reason why I didn’t even try calling you something different from _officer_ or _Park_ , but if you like _Chanyeol_ better, there’s no problem” Baekhyun replied, smiling shortly toward him and Chanyeol swore that there was a way in how Baekhyun’s pronounced his name that was only Baekhyun’s.

It could be stupid and was it the tone or the voice, but it was… _nice_ , and Chanyeol mentally high-fived himself for that proposal.

“Can I call you Baekhyun too?” Chanyeol asked him, making Baekhyun snort, shrugging his shoulders.

“You can call me as you want. I… don’t mind anything. Jae calls me _Hyunnie_ , Xing and Dae call me _Baek_ , Minseok and Junmyeon-hyung call me _Baekhyunnie_ , so yeah… feel free to do as you please” Baekhyun stated softly, smiling again toward Chanyeol who briefly shook his head.

“No, well I… Baekhyun is more than fine already” he concluded, finally driving off the parking lot, making Baekhyun chuckle again.

And Chanyeol didn’t know what happened that morning or how Baekhyun being _Fearless Light_ could change the cards on the table, but he was glad about that new relationship they had.

Chanyeol was still curious about whatever happened to Baekbom and he was decided to know it sooner or later, but now they had a bigger problem.

Who was emulating _Fearless Light_ or better Baekhyun’s work?

Also killing people?

Was it only a mistake or…?

Baekhyun stayed mostly silent for all that way there, and even when they arrived on the spot, he was silent and extra focused.

Chanyeol had few more explanations on why Baekhyun was so competent in police and investigation skills now.

Apart from his own brother, Baekhyun worked with Yixing too and apparently Baekhyun was way too good in learning new things and absorbing tactics and skills.

“Can I see the card?” Baekhyun asked toward Jondae who nodded picking up a plastic case and giving it to Baekhyun.

“Same as usual” he added and Chanyeol neared Baekhyun looking over his shoulder to read the card.

_Brighter a light is, longer is the shadow it casts._

_How long can it sparkle before it gets engulfed in darkness?_

_Once again, I take only what need to find its original place once again._

_See you next time._

And despite the mention to _find its original place_ , Chanyeol got a weird vibe from that card, totally different from usual.

“Shit” Baekhyun muttered before giving back the card to Jondae, stare moving around the room.

“Are we… sure about what happened?” Chanyeol asked before him, trying to figure out what he was thinking and Jondae hummed, opening his jotter.

“This morning at six thirty the guardian for morning shift came in and, not finding his colleague, called immediately the director of the museum. The two together discovered the body in the Great Hall of King Sejong. It was only then that they called the police. They didn’t touch anything and only few vases were stolen” Jondae stated reading out loud what he took down before they arrived and gesturing with his head toward the hall he just mentioned.

Baekhyun hummed shortly, fingers carding through his hair, still a bit wet and Jondae’s stare went on him, observing.

“Your hair is damp, but your clothes are dry. And… isn’t that Chanyeol’s jacket?” he asked shortly and, even before Chanyeol could find an explanation, Baekhyun nodded shortly.

“Yeah and I have his hoodie too. I’m not an umbrella fan apparently and Chanyeol insisted for lending me his clothes” Baekhyun explained as plain as it was, making Jondae whistle in appreciation.

“So you really went to his house this morning” Jondae commented chuckling softly and Baekhyun hummed again.

“I wouldn’t have asked you where it was in the first place, no?” Baekhyun retorted shrugging his shoulders but Jondae immediately circled his shoulders with his arm.

“Sure, sure… so now you and _officer Park_ are on first name basis? Uh, an unexpected development. What should I expect for next?” Jondae asked him, clearly joking but Chanyeol felt slightly his cheeks getting warmer at the only thought of he and Baekhyun kissing again like it happened that night.

He tried to focus on what they were doing more than losing himself in that soft yet hot memory again, just in time to hear Baekhyun chuckle softly, shaking his head.

“I… don’t think I suit Chanyeol’s tastes, actually, since I’m not a pretty lady. So, you don’t have to worry about that” he stated and even before Jondae or Chanyeol could say anything, he walked away toward the room of King Sejong.

Jondae frowned shortly, stare moving toward Chanyeol, interested.

“You didn’t tell him you’re _interested in men_ too?” Jondae asked him and Chanyeol shook his head, shrugging his shoulders.

“It’s not like I have a great and deep friendship with Baekhyun as you do, Jondae” he replied briefly but Jondae frowned even deeper, clicking his tongue.

“Or because you are a coward. And he is _exactly_ your tastes, despite not being a pretty lady” Jondae noted before leaving Chanyeol there with his thoughts and reaching Baekhyun in the next room.

What the hell was he supposed to do?

Tell Baekhyun about that too or no?

Chanyeol knew that Baekhyun was gay because he was _quite open_ about it, especially when he told him about his brother and Jae.

But how was Chanyeol supposed to face the whole matter?

He groaned lowly, shaking his head, trying to focus again on whatever was happening in that moment.

Baekhyun really had the superior ability of pissing the fuck off Chanyeol and distract him from urgent matters.

Even though, at the beginning it was a burden, while in that moment… it was almost pleasant.

Chanyeol found himself thinking of Baekhyun so frequently that it was starting to get worrisome.

“Chanyeol, come here, Baek found something” Jondae called him and Chanyeol frowned deeply.

 _Something_?

And _something_ that Jondae and the others weren’t able to find before their arrival?

When Chanyeol went there though, he could see only Baekhyun’s ass and his legs sticking out one of those ventilation conducts.

Baekhyun’s legs were slender, seeing his height, and surely toned.

Especially because the entrance was higher double his height and he reached it without a foldable stair.

“What the hell are you doing inside there? And without safety protection, you…” Chanyeol started saying but Baekhyun hushed him from inside there.

“For fuck’s sake” he breathed keeping his voice down and glancing at him from over his shoulder.

“Speak softly. This is a temple of culture and knowledge. And wash your mouth before speaking that badly in front of King Sejong. He invented _hangul_ , ya know? And he’s the father of a lot of still used democratic laws in South Korea” he continued, whispering and Chanyeol groaned again, nearing the place where Baekhyun was.

“Well, Mr. _I-know-everything_ , why are you up there? Free climbing?” Chanyeol asked him, leaning on the wall and looking up at him.

Baekhyun inhaled deeply before turning around with a bit of difficulties and _jumped down_ , rolling properly while landing.

Was Baekhyun trained in some… martial arts?

Because it wasn’t possible for a _normal person_ to jump from that height and land like that without any proper training.

“I have your reply, _Mr. I-don’t-respect-this-sacred-place_. The guard is not a casualty. They planned the murder” Baekhyun stated, giving him a portable speaker that he probably found inside the conduct.

Chanyeol put on a glove and was about to scold him, but Baekhyun had gloves on too and Chanyeol inhaled deeply, looking at it.

He gently pressed play and a record of people talking started playing.

“ _Thunder thief_ attracted here the guard with that. Voices, so that he would come and look for what was happening. Especially since, being night, the museum should be silent” Baekhyun started saying but he immediately blocked himself, listening to what the voices were saying.

“It’s just a matter of time, you know? Before they know it too” a male voice stated and a second one chuckled in the background.

“What if they do? Isn’t it better for everybody? So they will know who is the real thing” the other stated and Baekhyun neared Chanyeol pressing the pause button on the speaker.

“What…?” Chanyeol started saying but Baekhyun shook his head briefly and when Chanyeol tried to inquire further, Baekhyun mouthed a short _later_ before taking the speaker with him and putting it in a plastic bag for the evidences.

It was… strange.

And Baekhyun surely recognized at least one of the two voices, probably the second.

 _The real thing_ … did the voice mean the fact that Baekhyun was working with the police?

Or was it referring to something different again?

Totally unrelated to that?

They stayed in the museum a while more, time to understand if they were missing something more, but then they went also back to the police department.

And neither the time to arrive at the common room they all shared, that there was a soft knock on the door, making all of them turn around toward the door that opened shortly, revealing Yixing.

“Park, Byun, need to speak with you a sec” he stated briefly, gesturing outside the office, and Chanyeol frowned, while Baekhyun shrugged his shoulders, turning around toward Jondae.

“Don’t touch that speaker for no reason at all. It’s not what it seems to be” he breathed and Jondae frowned shortly but Chanyeol nodded near him.

“Do as he says. We will investigate on that together” Chanyeol added briefly and Jondae nodded too, wishing them good luck.

Yixing accompanied them inside his office, having great care of locking the door behind them, slightly leaning against it.

“So…” he started saying and Baekhyun nodded shortly, making Yixing shift his stare on Chanyeol.

“Baek told you everything. And I suppose that last night murder is not exactly his doing” Yixing stated, making Baekhyun chuckle softly, shaking his head.

“No, I… you know that I wouldn’t kill anyone. Moreover, yesterday I was busy with, uhm, other activities” he replied and his tone was playful, joking and Chanyeol wondered if Baekhyun hadn’t a lover or had the habit to go and enjoy his free time in gay pubs.

Yixing arched his eyebrow, studying Baekhyun.

“Don’t you tell me that you started again with _those_ ” Yixing asked, crossing the room and nearing, _dangerously close_ , Baekhyun, fingers touching Baekhyun’s neck softly.

It was such a… intimate gesture that made feel Chanyeol like he was in the wrong place in the wrong moment.

Baekhyun though, slapped Yixing’s hand away, covering his neck, clearly not happy with the proximity and what Yixing was doing.

“Stop it. I’m not a kid anymore and I wouldn’t do that again. I promised Bom” Baekhyun whispered, stare moving away and Chanyeol didn’t know what they were exactly referring to, but Baekhyun wasn’t comfortable with that and Chanyeol didn’t like it.

“Baek…” Yixing started but Chanyeol clicked his tongue, attracting their attentions.

“Are we here for a reason or can we go back and understand who’s trying to copy your half-assed work?” Chanyeol asked them, making Baekhyun’s eyes go wider in perplexity before he could shift it away.

He looked… hurt?

For just a second but maybe Chanyeol exaggerated with his words.

And he was about to say he was sorry when Baekhyun moved his stare back to Yixing, stepping outside his personal space.

“I won’t do anything that would hurt my brother again, Xing, so stop fake worrying about me. Just because you feel like you owed Bom something, that doesn’t mean that you have to behave with me as if I’m your own brother. I’m old enough to take care of myself” he stated shortly and when Yixing tried to interject something Baekhyun shook his head again.

“I know that after all of this is over, you will still force me to accept something else. A different task, a different way to help you incompetents out. Otherwise you will magically produce proofs regarding what I did in the past. So, yeah… stop pretending that you care something. I’m almost glad that my brother can’t see what’s happening at the moment” he concluded, moving away and leaving the room, not a word more.

There was short silence and then Chanyeol inhaled deeply.

“Is it true that you are forcing him? Or that you have things about his past?” Chanyeol asked him and Yixing hummed briefly, nodding.

“I… have files on Baekhyun that don’t exist anywhere if not here. Neither Commander Lee knows about them. And with all he’s done, if those files would accidentally leave this office…” he started saying and Chanyeol closed the distance between them, pulling at Yixing’s collar, nearing him even more.

“Listen, I don’t know what Baekhyun did or didn’t in the past. But if this is a menace…” he growled lowly but Yixing shook his head briefly.

“When this shit of _Fearless Light_ is over, I’ll let you read them. Later you will know that we _can’t_ afford to lose the help of someone as Baek” Yixing stated angrily, making Chanyeol frown shortly.

Did that mean that Baekhyun helped police even before that case with his brother?

Or that he had several crimes?

“You don’t have to force him, though, Zhang. He has his own shop and his own life…” Chanyeol objected and even if Yixing frowned deeply at start, then he chuckled softly, shaking his head.

“Ah, Baek’s fooling also you. At least know that, Park. He’s not who he seems to be” Yixing stated, distancing Chanyeol and even before Chanyeol could retort something, Yixing gestured again the door.

“Now go and solve this thing quickly, if you two manage something good for once” he concluded, making Chanyeol click his tongue, leaving the office and instead of going directly back, he exited finding Baekhyun smoking under the awning of the entrance.

“Don’t let Zhang ruin your mood” Chanyeol stated, but Baekhyun shrugged his shoulders, not turning around toward Chanyeol.

And even before Chanyeol could continue, Baekhyun spoke up, always without turning around.

“When I was young, I thought I was invincible. That my world was already so messed up that nothing could go worse than that. Damn if I was wrong…” Baekhyun whispered, lighting himself up a cigarette with the end of the first one.

Chanyeol just stood near him, listening.

It was rare that Baekhyun spoke freely up, but Chanyeol was more than fine with listening.

“I… went underage in a gay pub. That’s how my brother knew that I was gay. Police arrested me and I was so drunk that if I didn’t have my brother in police, I wouldn’t have known how to exit that shit” Baekhyun whispered softly, making Chanyeol frown briefly.

And he was about to comment, when Baekhyun spoke up again.

“But that taught me nothing. I went there again, and again. I… was addicted to the high that could come from _being wanted_ by someone. People wanting me, especially my physical part, and I was more than willing to give it just for feeling _something_ inside my heart again, that pleasant lukewarm sensation that helped me through high school” Baekhyun added, smoking slowly, dragging longer on the cigarette and puffing out the smoke toward the ceiling.

“Did they… pay you?” Chanyeol whispered briefly, trying to be more discreet possible on the matter and not knowing exactly were the boundaries and how much more he could ask Baekhyun or Baekhyun was willing to share with him.

Baekhyun shook his head shortly, pressing his cigarette in his ashtray and putting it away, finally turning toward Chanyeol.

“I… no, they didn’t. But you can imagine what _that_ meant especially in high school almost twenty years ago. Let’s say I wasn’t the best son nor brother one could have. I was proudly gay, openly, and so _against_ everything _old and boring_ like Bom’s parents” he spat out, words like venom, and Chanyeol couldn’t understand if he was angrier with himself or with his parents.

“Then? What happened?” Chanyeol asked him and Baekhyun chuckled softly, lighting himself another cigarette.

“ _Jae_ happened” he whispered enigmatically and Chanyeol frowned deeply, not understanding.

“My brother was… so in love with Jae that I thought I got diabetes” he muttered, soft smile coming up to his lips, stare fond while speaking of them.

“However, they showed me that being _what I am_ didn’t mean break rules, shouting it to the world, going from one bed to another just to find some… warm comfort” Baekhyun added, smile becoming shorter and his stare sadder.

Baekhyun seemed so soft and so small in that moment.

“Not that it changed much, actually. I… still got myself involved with the whole _thief_ thing and when Xing caught me, my brother was so angry and he couldn’t believe it that it was me and that I got caught just because I’m a dumbass and forgot to hide some clothes because I was _lazy_. My techniques were so good that _no one_ would have found me otherwise” Baekhyun stated proudly making Chanyeol chuckle softly, shaking his head.

“I remember you that you are speaking with an officer. Don’t brag too much about it” he retorted and Baekhyun stuck out his tongue before continue to smoke and telling him the rest.

“Xing probably has so many… files on me that he put up before starting whatever _this cooperation_ , as he calls it, is. And I know I won’t have an easy way out of here, because he… likes me way too much. Both me and how I work, even though the feeling is only partially shared” Baekhyun whispered, stare shifting away again, and Chanyeol got serious immediately, living again that weird sensation he had in Yixing’s office before, when he touched Baekhyun’s neck.

“What do you…” he started but Baekhyun pressed his lips in a thin line, quickly finishing his cigarette.

“What I said. Xing said that’s because _he promised_ my brother, but it’s just because he wants me to do _things_ for him. And I don’t mean only work-related ones. But he knows that to me… this is just work. And I’m not the same person I was before. I don’t need anyone anymore. After my brother’s death, it’s always been only me. Also last night… I was with the kids of the orphanage” he concluded fingers carding through his hair, making Chanyeol frown even deeper than before.

Yixing was asking Baekhyun for something more physical?

And did he force him to?

“Have you ever…?” Chanyeol whispered and Baekhyun huffed a short sarcastic laugh.

“He wishes. Not my type and not my interest. And he knows that I will file an abuse report if he only tries to force me to do something physical against my will. And he still needs me here because, yeah, half of his cases were solved by me” Baekhyun concluded, shrugging his shoulders, and he was more than decided in that last part, despite he knew that it was a difficult situation and Yixing could still force him there with those files on him.

“Let’s go back, now. Dae will be surely worried” Baekhyun breathed forcing a small smile that was again so sad and so forced that Chanyeol moved on his own, taking Baekhyun’s hand in his, slightly gripping.

“Hey” he called him briefly and Baekhyun frowned shortly, stare inquiring in Chanyeol’s.

“I know that you probably don’t care or you won’t believe my words, but… You are not the same person you were before, Baekhyun. Don’t let him mess with your head” Chanyeol whispered, thumb gently caressing the back of Baekhyun’s hand, trying to be at least a bit comforting.

Baekhyun’s eyes went wider in perplexity, but instead of shaking Chanyeol’s comment off laughing as per usual, he pressed his lips tighter in a line, shaking his head.

“He’s… right, actually. What I did in the past still defines me. I don’t do it anymore, but this doesn’t change what I was and it’s only a reasonable behavior. I don’t deserve much better” he stated, gently patting on Chanyeol’s hand that was holding his other hand.

“Now, though, let’s go inside. It’s getting late and I want to know more about that tape. I think I heard that voice somewhere else, and luckily police systems are quite good when my memory fails me” he added, gently slipping his hand away from Chanyeol’s grip, forcing a short smile before turning around and going back inside the building.

Chanyeol inhaled deeply, fingers carding through his hair, still feeling Baekhyun’s warmth on his hand.

Yixing told him that Baekhyun wasn’t _as he seemed_.

Did he mean all the things that Baekhyun told him in that moment?

Or was he referring to something different?

And he didn’t want Baekhyun to think that badly of himself, because whatever it might have happened, it wasn’t a good way to live his own life, especially since Baekhyun wasn’t the same anymore.

He sighed deeply, going back inside again, forcing himself to focus on something that wasn’t Baekhyun.

They spent the rest of the day trying to understand more about the tape, while Jondae and the others were investigating on the victim, if there was any reason to kill him, compared to others.

At almost eight, Jondae whined loudly, shaking his head.

“I can’t do it anymore. I want to go home” Jondae let out loudly and Baekhyun chuckled softly, fingers carding through his hair.

He was… _tired_.

Like a lot more than that morning.

The discussion he had with Yixing tired him off more than expected.

“What about… fried chicken and beer? I know it’s not Friday, but tomorrow is Christmas’ Eve and I want you guys to go home a bit early and spend some time with your families. How does it sound?” Chanyeol proposed shortly, earning a perplexed stare for _everyone_ in the room.

“Boss, you sure?” Junmyeon asked him, voicing out probably everybody’s thought in the room.

“Yeah. Why not? It’s Christmas after all and… I will be sufficient around here tomorrow” he retorted smiling softly at them and Jondae cheered loudly, patting Chanyeol’s shoulder all happily.

“I… don’t think I will come” Baekhyun let out briefly, forcing a short smile, and when he saw Jondae’s smile slowly fade from his face, he chuckled softly.

“Come on, don’t do like that. It’s… a way to celebrate Christmas with Chanyeol, you should be happy nevertheless no?” he observed, shrugging his shoulders, stare moving toward Chanyeol.

“I’ll… give the clothes back tomorrow. Thanks again for borrowing them to me” Baekhyun added, leaning his head on the side, smile not leaving his lips.

Even though it wasn’t that nice soft smile that Chanyeol liked to see on his lips.

It was so forced and sad that it made Chanyeol sit up from his desk, speaking up.

“Can I… insist? It wouldn’t be the same without you around” Chanyeol stated and Baekhyun frowned shortly, lips parting as to reply something, but Minseok nodded shortly too.

“We all think the same, Baekhyunnie. You are not a burden and Yeol’s invitation was for everybody, _including_ you. So please, don’t feel bad in accepting” Minseok stated shortly and all the others nodded near them.

“And if you have something to do tonight, reschedule it! Because what’s better than drinking with us, _hyung_?” Jongin asked him, making Baekhyun huff shortly but on his lips there was a real soft smile.

“Fine, then… thanks for having me around” he breathed finally and Chanyeol felt relieved that Baekhyun finally accepted.

He couldn’t quite explain why but he was glad that Baekhyun would tag along.

They spoke a bit about which place was better and then Jondae suggested a place near the center, but opposite side of the city compared to where Baekhyun lived.

“Is it okay for you? We won’t be too late…” Jondae started saying and Baekhyun smiled softly, nodding.

“As long as I can still catch the metro, I’ll be fine” he replied simply shrugging his shoulders but Chanyeol shook his head shortly.

“Don’t even mention it. If it’s late, I’ll drive you home” he suggested immediately and Baekhyun was about to refuse when Minseok and Junmyeon nodded near them.

“Yeah, it’s surely safer this way. Stations can be dangerous these days” Junmyeon added and Baekhyun hummed forcing a soft smile.

And they were about to exit, picking up different cars to go there, when Chanyeol slightly called Baekhyun.

He stopped in the middle of the corridor, turning around to look at Chanyeol.

“Did you have other appointment for tonight? They can be pressuring sometimes, even though it’s just because they like you” Chanyeol stated shortly, but Baekhyun shook shortly his head.

“I’m… a bit tired. That’s it” Baekhyun whispered before forcing another small smile, walking again toward the parking place and Chanyeol followed him in silence until they were both inside the car.

“You don’t have to force yourself, really” Chanyeol stated, starting the engine while Baekhyun was pulling at the safety belt, fastening it.

Baekhyun inhaled deeply, closing his eyes briefly.

“Listen, I’m grateful that you don’t hate me as you did before, but you don’t need to be _this_ concerned either. I’m fine, really. If I had other things to do, I would refuse the invitation. If I’m here, it means that I’m okay with it” Baekhyun whispered softly, fingers carding through his hair and Chanyeol nodded briefly.

“Sorry, it’s just I… kinda reevaluated you? And not because the sad story of this afternoon, even though I admit that it must have been difficult. But, you know, generally?” Chanyeol tried to explain, even if he wasn’t good at all with words and it was strange for him explaining feelings instead of acting upon them.

Baekhyun’s eyes went slightly wider, lips parting in surprise, probably not expecting such explanation, especially not from Chanyeol, but then smiled softly again.

“I kinda reevaluated you too, Chanyeol. And thank you for noticing my discomfort this afternoon in Xing’s office. I… appreciated your intervention even though you said that my work is _half-assed_ ” Baekhyun replied, smiling and a brief chuckle left his lips at Chanyeol’s surprised expression.

“You thought I didn’t realize it?” Baekhyun asked him, leaning his head on this side and for a moment Chanyeol couldn’t focus on anything but Baekhyun’s beauty, thanking heavens that they were at a red streetlight.

“I-I… yes. And I’m sorry about saying that your job is _half-assed_ , I was upset” Chanyeol whispered, barely noticing that it was green again and that he could drive off.

Baekhyun hummed, even though on his lips there was still a small smile.

“My… brother let me help him and police, not because I was a spoiled brat or because I had to clean my criminal records. But because I was… almost good in doing it? Especially _profiling_ ” he whispered, leaning his head on the window and Chanyeol frowned shortly.

It was clear already that he worked with police and that he had for sure some _qualities_ in profiling and studying people’s behavior, but… _his brother_?

“So you _did_ work with your brother?” he asked him briefly, trying to understand if he was referring to Baekbom’s last mission or not.

Baekhyun inhaled softly before nodding briefly.

“Too few. And not in that mission you are thinking about. He just… asked me things about that. Small nothings on silver linings between thefts and objects, but nothing that meant much. It was a classified mission, or so he said” Baekhyun whispered in reply, closing his eyes and simply enjoying the coldness of the window against his temple.

“I shouldn’t be asking about your brother, right?” Chanyeol asked him, hinting a short chuckle trying to light a bit the mood, but Baekhyun shrugged his shoulders.

“I can’t actually understand why you do, since I know nothing about it. However, I’m here. Ask me if there’s something that seems strange to you” Baekhyun replied, hinting at the corner of the street where all the others were waiting outside the restaurant.

“What’s more strange to me, it’s that a curious person as you, didn’t _ever_ investigate in detective Byun’s death, wanting to know more about what actually happened” Chanyeol stated briefly and in the very same moment he finished that sentence, he knew that he hurt Baekhyun again.

Baekhyun’s stare darkened, shifting away.

“Maybe I’m not the person you think I am, Chanyeol. And maybe, I am not a good brother either” he replied when Chanyeol parked the car and, without even letting him process the reply, Baekhyun exited the car, going to greet the others.

Chanyeol inhaled deeply, clicking his tongue before exiting too and trying to push as far away as possible that awful sensation in hurting again Baekhyun.

Chanyeol felt like an idiot.

Again.

Because he knew that despite in that moment Baekhyun was joking around, smiling and laughing with the others, he surely would think back at it that night after all the party was over, alone in his miniature sized apartment.

And Chanyeol hated himself for it.

Even though Chanyeol wasn’t _that_ , Baekhyun made him feel… _things_.

He felt warm around Baekhyun, interested, willing to know more about him, wondering what it would be to hold Baekhyun near him and playing with his hair and… _wait_.

 _Wait_.

 _What_?

He definitely wanted to know more about Baekhyun but… _holding him near?_

 _Playing with his hair_?

What the hell was happening?

It couldn’t be that Chanyeol was _soft_ for Baekhyun and had… _feelings_ for him.

Chanyeol didn’t have _feelings_ for anybody for the past ten years more or less.

And in the moment, he started having them.

For a smartass know-everything thief brat.

Who was also pretty, funny to be around, knew a lot things, was more than helpful in the investigations and had the best body proportions Chanyeol ever saw in somebody and lips that Chanyeol wanted to taste again and again.

And… _wait what_?

“Chanyeol, you okay?” Baekhyun asked him briefly, slightly touching his arm, stare concerned and Chanyeol nodded mechanically still unable to process what he just realized.

He was soft and had _fucking feelings_ for Byun Baekhyun, aka _Fearless Light_ , detective Byun Baekbom’s brother and a sort of Yixing’s protégé.

He was ruined.

How in the world he didn’t realize before?

How could he be so stupid not to understand that he had to keep distant from Baekhyun and not looking for his company?

Well… as long as Baekhyun didn’t know, there wouldn’t be any problem, _probably_.

Or so Chanyeol liked to think.

The evening went on pleasantly, slowly between beer, an awful lot, and fried chicken for Jongin’s happiness.

Only at almost midnight and half, Minseok yawned widely, shaking his head, stating that he was old and he needed sleep.

“It’s better if we all go” Jondae nodded, agreeing with Minseok and Baekhyun frowned shortly, checking his wristwatch.

“Is it late for you?” Chanyeol asked him briefly and Baekhyun nodded shortly but smiled softly toward him.

“You… better go home directly. I’ll take a taxi” he stated taking off his phone from his pockets and even before Chanyeol could say that for him there wasn’t any problem, Baekhyun was already calling.

“You don’t need to worry. I’m not that poor” he joked shortly, but Chanyeol knew that it wasn’t only that.

Baekhyun drank a lot that night, probably even more than the other evenings they went out together and despite him being good in keeping alcohol, Chanyeol could notice how he was… not so sober anymore.

Things got probably rougher for him that day and maybe he just wanted to be alone.

“You don’t need to come tomorrow. Go visit Lee-ssi and spend time him and Hyuna-ssi” Chanyeol whispered making Baekhyun chuckle softly.

“You sound like my brother every time I spent too much time at work” he stated shortly, sad smile and cheeks a bit red.

“Don’t worry though. I’ll think about it tomorrow” he concluded, greeting the others too and going away, leaving Chanyeol even more worried than before.

“Boss, you are strange tonight? You sure you’re fine?” Junmyeon asked him and Chanyeol nodded shortly.

“This case is getting more complicated now that there’s murder between the charges” he stated frowning shortly, even if that was only partially in his thoughts.

And even before Junmyeon or Jondae could say something, Chanyeol stopped them with a gesture of his hand.

“And I don’t care about anything! Don’t come at work tomorrow and the day after tomorrow! No one of you!” he ordered and it really was an order.

The was a bit of chattering but in the end they all got it quite well that Chanyeol was serious in his saying.

And when, after greeting everyone and driving until home Chanyeol finally laid down, this time on his bed, closing his eyes, nothing but Baekhyun’s soft smile came up.

Damn.

He was _oh so_ screwed.

Police department on Christmas’ Eve and Christmas Day was a blessing.

Nobody around, no noise, no nothing, Chanyeol could focus on his work and on how he could catch someone who was almost as fleeting as Baekhyun and that wanted to emulate Baekhyun.

And think about those men who tried to kill him and Baekhyun that night.

It wasn’t good.

He was at work already from half an hour and ten out of twelve thoughts included Baekhyun, distracting him.

As if thinking much about him could materialize him, after a soft knock on the common office door, Baekhyun appeared in all his glory.

Or well, in all his hangover glory, almost cute sleepiness, with few bags and two big Starbucks coffee cups in his hands.

“Morning” he greeted yawning and his voice was lower than usual, stirring something weird inside Chanyeol.

He was wearing tight black jeans and XXL size black hoodie under the equally black jacket.

“Morning, you look shit” Chanyeol greeted him back, making Baekhyun frown and taking back the coffee that he was almost giving to Chanyeol.

“I can take this back then?” Baekhyun stated but the aroma was so good that Chanyeol was already shaking his head.

“Police coffee sucks. Please, I’m very grateful for _real coffee_ ” Chanyeol stated and Baekhyun chuckled softly finally giving the paper cup to Chanyeol.

Chanyeol took it and… _Venti, americano macchiato_?

When in the world Baekhyun learnt his tastes in coffee?

“Is it okay?” Baekhyun asked him and Chanyeol nodded again, thanking him but feeling his cheeks slightly warmer.

Baekhyun probably noted how Chanyeol drank coffee at the department and bought one similar?

There was a brief silence and then Chanyeol spoke up.

“You didn’t have to come” he stated shortly, sipping his coffee and Baekhyun hummed near him.

“I wanted to. Couldn’t let you here all alone on Christmas’ Eve” Baekhyun started replying and hinting with his head to the bags he put on the floor.

Chanyeol frowned shortly but Baekhyun was already speaking up again.

“And I wanted to thank you for yesterday” he added picking up one of the bags, containing Chanyeol’s clothes, the ones he lent Baekhyun the previous day, washed, dried and neatly folded.

“You didn’t have to. And I let yours at home. Didn’t know you would come today” Chanyeol stated picking the bag and hinting a short bow, but Baekhyun shrugged his shoulders.

“It’s not like we will never see again, no worries” Baekhyun whispered before picking up the other bag and showing the content to Chanyeol.

There were two big bento boxes inside with the brand of a famous shop in the center of Seoul.

“How early did you wake up this morning, Baekhyun? You didn’t need to” Chanyeol started saying but Baekhyun chuckled briefly, shaking his head.

“Who said I slept tonight?” he replied, shrugging his shoulders but Chanyeol frowned, now worried about him.

Because despite the joking tone, Chanyeol knew that Baekhyun was more than capable to spend nights without sleeping.

They talked about small nothings and then they started to work each other on their own things.

“So… Mister Y was Yixing all along?” Chanyeol asked him and Baekhyun carded his fingers through his hair, pulling it back and letting it fall back messily.

He was somehow enthralling and Chanyeol wanted to card his own fingers through Baekhyun’s hair.

It looked so soft and probably silky between his fingers.

“Yeah. If there’s someone who knows what it’s being sold on the black market, that’s Xing” Baekhyun replied shortly, tapping on his phone and frowning at whatever the screen showed him up.

“Do police have an archive of… voices?” Baekhyun asked him out of the blue and Chanyeol frowned shortly.

“Well, not exactly but we have a lot of records of interrogatories, all transcribed down word per word” Chanyeol stated briefly and Baekhyun hummed shortly.

“Can I access it from Dae’s computer?” Baekhyun asked him and Chanyeol nodded shortly.

“Do you need the password? Because I don’t…” Chanyeol started saying, trying to remember the last password that Jondae used for his computer, but Baekhyun shook his head.

“No worries, I know it. It’s _Kimteamfory &ol61_, with commercial _e_ and capital letter at the start” Baekhyun replied like it was the most obvious thing but making Chanyeol softly blush.

Jondae really loved him to bits.

Only in that moment Chanyeol realized what Baekhyun meant when once he said that Jondae was _biased_ toward Chanyeol.

“I’ll listen to this and try to find out whose voice that voice reminds me of” Baekhyun stated, hinting to the speaker device they found in the museum, and Chanyeol nodded shortly, trying to focus on what he could do too.

And he really _really_ tried it.

Doing his best to focus on everything but Baekhyun.

However, his stare always went back there, looking at how Baekhyun’s fingers played with the wire of the headphones that he was using for not distracting Chanyeol with the sound of the recordings.

Or how sometimes he pinched his bottom lip, closing his eyes in focus on the voices he was hearing.

Or the small tattoo that he never noticed before on Baekhyun’s forearm when he rolled up his sleeves.

The mole on his thumb, every time he skipped track with the mouse.

Or that little frown that he had every time he was focusing harder than before.

“Chanyeol” Baekhyun called him and Chanyeol sat straighter, caught off guard, thoughts still lost on Baekhyun’s whole being.

He gulped down almost audibly, trying to find back his voice.

“Y-Yes?” he asked him and Baekhyun’s stare moved toward Chanyeol, cheeks slightly rose.

“You are staring and I can’t focus. Is there something wrong? Something you have to tell me?” Baekhyun asked him, even though his cheeks were a bit redder than rose and Chanyeol bit his lips shortly.

And how bad did he have it for Baekhyun?

“No, I… I’m sorry. It’s nothing” Chanyeol replied immediately shifting his stare away but Baekhyun took off his headphones, standing up from where he was sitting and neared Chanyeol’s desk.

“Are you sure?” Baekhyun asked him, fingers gently moving a strand lock of hair from Chanyeol’s forehead and Chanyeol held his breath, all his senses focused on that soft brush of Baekhyun’s fingers.

“Yeah, sure. I’m sorry… let’s, uhm, try to focus on this matter” he replied but his voice waivered a little, the distance between him and Baekhyun way too close for Chanyeol to hide his physical reactions to Baekhyun whole presence around.

And he was right, that morning when, during shower, he asked himself if he was right or not to jerk off thinking about Baekhyun.

He should have done it, instead of being his usual coward self and refuse to accept how _fucking_ attracted he was to Baekhyun.

“Chanyeol…” Baekhyun called him again, this time lower in his tone.

“It’s clear that there’s something plaguing you. And it involves me, apparently, since you can’t stop staring at me. Do I have something on my face?” Baekhyun asked him, closing that distance even more and Chanyeol gulped down again, shaking his head.

“N-Not at all” he replied and Baekhyun inhaled deeply, shaking his head too.

“Then what? You can tell me, Chanyeol” he spat out immediately and Chanyeol felt somehow attacked and he short circuited, words leaving his lips even before he could _think_ them.

“I’m physically attracted by you” he stated, voice slightly high-pitched and then shifting immediately away his stare, realizing he did something stupid.

How could he explain that _attraction_ to Baekhyun?

Probably he still didn’t know that Chanyeol preferred men over women.

Baekhyun’s stare was inquiring, wary but interested, trying to understand which was the real meaning and intent behind Chanyeol’s words.

“I’m not a pretty young girl yet you feel _physically attracted_ to me?” Baekhyun retorted shortly, frown gently appearing on his forehead, clearly studying Chanyeol’s reactions, and Chanyeol inhaled deeply, trying to calm down his nerves.

“I… kinda like men better than _pretty girls_. And you are so fascinating” Chanyeol breathed, trying to save the half-disaster he made.

At least he didn’t tell Baekhyun that he _liked_ him.

That he had _feelings for him_.

Baekhyun looked slightly longer at him, trying to understand what was passing in Chanyeol’s head, and then gently caressed Chanyeol’s cheek, making him look up at Baekhyun.

“I’m attracted to you too, Chanyeol. You are _my type_ of man, to be honest. So… if we want to tone down this tension and finally getting something done, we only have two possibilities” Baekhyun started saying stare not leaving Chanyeol’s.

“Or I walk out of that door and come again when the guys are here too so that you have to focus on the task even if you don’t want to” Baekhyun started listing, counting on those pretty fingers of his.

“Or…?” Chanyeol breathed, making Baekhyun near him even more, hand moving on Chanyeol’s neck, gently caressing its side and making shivers going down Chanyeol’s spine, pleasantly hot and already thickening the bulge in his trousers.

“Or you take advantage of the fact there’s no one here and fuck me against the desk of your office, so that later we can focus better on our task” Baekhyun proposed and… did Chanyeol hear well?

Did he _really_ just proposed Chanyeol to _fuck him_ against his desk or Chanyeol was still dreaming, one of the best wet dreams he ever had?

“D-Do you want it too?” Chanyeol asked him briefly and Baekhyun pressed his lips in a thin line, closing definitely the distance between them and gently grinding his hips against Chanyeol’s, making him feel how hard Baekhyun was too.

“I don’t own any gun, if you want to know” Baekhyun whispered softly, making Chanyeol huff a soft chuckle but his hands were already on Baekhyun’s sides.

“You are impossible” Chanyeol muttered back and Baekhyun chuckled shortly, fingers gently carding through his hair and pulling him down.

“Let’s get done with this, Chanyeol” he concluded and Chanyeol took his hand, bringing him inside the small private office Chanyeol had and locking the door behind them.

It was… really happening right?

Chanyeol was really going to do _that_ with Baekhyun?

“Do you have any preferences?” Chanyeol asked him but Baekhyun chuckled softly, shaking his head.

“Do you? Because I think I’m a bit more experienced than you so tell me, what please you most, Chanyeol?” Baekhyun _purred_ nearing him again and heavens, was it really happening?

Baekhyun was… _flirty_ as his whole damn personality and attracted Chanyeol so, so, so bad.

Chanyeol simply wanted not to think about it and enjoy it, like that was a B-series porn movie in which something erotic may happen in any moment.

“Usually I’m the giving end, but I don’t mind either?” Chanyeol whispered and Baekhyun hummed smiling briefly at him.

“Then that’s more than fine. Usually I prefer _the other side_ , but I don’t mind either” Baekhyun retorted, biting his lips, glancing toward Chanyeol that neared him again, hands gently caressing Baekhyun’s side and… was there someone sexier than Baekhyun?

Even in that over-sized hoodie and tight jeans, Baekhyun looked so good and Chanyeol wanted to touch him more, see more, _feel more._

“You can do as you please with me, Chanyeol. No need to be delicate, I’m not fragile” Baekhyun breathed, fingers moving again on Chanyeol’s neck, making him hum in pleasure, leaning down and pressing gently his lips on Baekhyun’s neck.

His scent was… flowery.

Fresh, almost like springtime.

And Chanyeol wanted more of it.

He started kissing him there slowly, teeth gently grazing on it, making Baekhyun groan lowly in pleasure, fingers carding through Chanyeol’s hair and pulling him near.

“You are stunning” Chanyeol breathed before introducing his hands underneath Baekhyun’s hoodie and shirt under it.

Baekhyun shuddered softly, inhaling deeply at the contact of his skin with Chanyeol’s warm hands.

“I… don’t think we have much time, Chanyeol. We should, _ah_ , skip the foreplays” Baekhyun breathed, softly moaning when Chanyeol’s fingers reached up his torso, gently pulling at Baekhyun’s nipple.

“Should we?” Chanyeol whispered back, but he was more than agreeing with Baekhyun, despite being it less fun.

“There will be other times, hopefully” Baekhyun retorted quickly, pulling at his own hoodie and taking it off, throwing it somewhere, probably on one of the chairs.

Chanyeol took of his suit jacket and his shirt, nearing again Baekhyun who was unbuttoning his own jeans too.

Chanyeol was enchanted while he was looking at Baekhyun.

Even under the light cotton t-shirt, which was white and left almost nothing to the imagination, his torso was so fit, and his back toned, despite having few red scars on it.

Chanyeol could see them even through the fabric and took note of asking about them later.

And on his left shoulder, he could outline also a tattoo, something related to a … _bird_ , maybe.

“I have one similar too” Chanyeol stated turning around and showing his back to Baekhyun, a big phoenix taking almost all his back.

Baekhyun’s fingers went to Chanyeol’s back, touching it softly, caressing the profile of the tattoo, making Chanyeol’s skin bloom in goosebumps.

“You are so sensitive” Baekhyun noted placing a soft kiss between Chanyeol’s shoulder blades and making him hum in reply.

“I’m… not used to be touched. Especially there” Chanyeol admitted shortly and Baekhyun’s fingers traced down the profile of Chanyeol’s back along his spine, making him shiver.

“You done looking at my back?” Chanyeol asked him but Baekhyun chuckled softly in reply.

“I’m _admiring_ your back, you ingrate. You really have such a nice body, Chanyeol… Almost like a Greek god” he breathed and Chanyeol groaned lowly, turning around and gently pushing Baekhyun against his desk, pressing their bodies together.

“There will be other times to look at it. What about not having time and having to skip foreplays?” Chanyeol breathed, leaning down again and pressing his lips on Baekhyun’s neck, gently pressing his leg between Baekhyun’s, forcing them apart and feeling Baekhyun’s hardness against his knee.

“I think you want it as much as I do” Chanyeol breathed, licking his neck up to his ear, softly nibbling on it.

Baekhyun bit his lips, half-hiding a low moan.

“I keep thinking about _this_ since that time I pushed you in that small closet” he admitted, fingers gripping on Chanyeol’s hair and moving his own neck, letting Chanyeol more space to move.

“Oh” Chanyeol let out, biting Baekhyun’s neck, pleasantly surprised to know that Baekhyun thought about it as much as Chanyeol did, making him feel less bad for all those times when he thought about jerking off thinking of Baekhyun.

“So…” Chanyeol breathed against the wetness on his neck and Baekhyun bit his own lips, pulling again at Chanyeol’s hair, forcing him to look back at him.

Baekhyun’s stare was already darker than before, lust clearly sipping in.

“Can I take this off and please you a bit?” Chanyeol asked him, fingers gently pulling on Baekhyun’s jeans waistband, making him nod even before Chanyeol could finish the sentence.

“I’m not used to plead, but with you I could consider it. You don’t know how much I touched myself some days only thinking about _this_ happening” Baekhyun groaned lowly, moving his fingers down to his own body, down to the buttons of his jeans and Chanyeol bit his lips, stare following Baekhyun’s fingers.

“You did? Uh, such a nice imagine…” Chanyeol breathed, looking at Baekhyun popping open his jeans, pulling them down together with his boxers, revealing his erection, already half-hard, precum shimming on the tip.

Baekhyun kicked them away together with his shoes, letting the way clear for Chanyeol.

Chanyeol kneeled down briefly, hands caressing Baekhyun’s thighs, so slender and toned yet soft before touching softly Baekhyun’s shaft, making it twitch, Baekhyun letting out a soft moan.

“Don’t be too gentle with me” Baekhyun breathed, earning himself a quick glance from Chanyeol.

Was he giving him the green light for simply taking what he wanted?

And for a second, a mere glimpse at the back of his head, about how many of those Baekhyun had in his life, especially when he was younger.

But Chanyeol decided not to think in that moment.

Simply taking, and giving, what they both wanted.

Keeping his erection still, Chanyeol leant in, and without any further ado he took all Baekhyun in his mouth, sucking and earning a loud moan from Baekhyun who gripped hardly on Chanyeol’s hair, pulling.

“Fuck, Chanyeol” he let out, biting his lips and Chanyeol swirled his tongue around it, quickly glancing toward Baekhyun whose stare was already focused on Chanyeol and his mouth on his erection.

Chanyeol started to suck slowly, fingers gently tugging at its base too, before moving down and touching Baekhyun’s balls too, forcing him to spread his legs a bit more, allow Chanyeol more space to move.

Baekhyun groaned, pulling harder on his hair and tentatively thrusting inside Chanyeol’s mouth.

Chanyeol let him do it, welcoming the gesture and easing it too, taking more and more, sucking on it while his fingers played with Baekhyun’s balls and his perineum, earning another pull on his hair from Baekhyun.

“You’re so fucking hot like this” Baekhyun whispered, licking his own lips, wetting them before letting himself go a bit more, thrusting deeper inside Chanyeol’s mouth.

Chanyeol took him in even better, starting a faster pace, fingers gently stimulating his perineum, nearing his entrance but without touching it, making Baekhyun let out a sound so low and so erotic that Chanyeol felt his own erection twitching in his trousers, requesting attentions too.

Baekhyun gripped even harder on his hair, pulling them back.

“Ah, slow down, Chanyeol” he breathed, half whisper and half moan, leaning better against Chanyeol’s desk, and Chanyeol frowned shortly but since Baekhyun wasn’t slowing down, he didn’t either, sucking harder on his shaft, feeling the salty taste of precum on his tongue, forewarning of a better taste, the one that Chanyeol wanted more.

He liked way too much the sensation of Baekhyun’s erection pressing on his tongue, thrusting in his mouth and was there anyone sexier than Baekhyun when he was enjoying himself like that?

And it took few more sucks and a slightly harder pression near his hole, to have Baekhyun coming inside Chanyeol’s mouth, gripping on his hair and moaning lowly his name.

And it was so lousy, so erotic yet sensual, that Chanyeol felt his own erection throbbing harder in his trousers.

He wanted Baekhyun _so, so bad_.

Chanyeol swallowed everything before slowly licking clean Baekhyun’s erection, making it twitch in over sensibility.

Baekhyun carded his fingers through his own hair too, pulling it back, looking at Chanyeol, eyes dark with want and slightly glassy.

“You are so perfect, Baekhyun” Chanyeol breathed, standing up from where he was kneeling and leaning down again to place his lips against Baekhyun’s neck, gently, softly and how much he would pay to be able to worship Baekhyun’s body with all the time in the world instead of having to rush things like in that moment.

“C-Chanyeol” he whispered, voice softly quivering, revealing want and his cheeks were redder than before, making him glow under the yellow led light of the office.

“Can I finger you open? I want to be inside you so bad” Chanyeol let out, if possible closing even more that few distance that there was between them and Baekhyun spread his legs wider, an invitation, a more than clear reply to Chanyeol’s request.

Chanyeol leant even more in, placing his chin on Baekhyun’s shoulders and moving the files there were on the desk all in a taller pile, before he could gently push Baekhyun down, back resting on the desk.

“It’s the first time I have sex on the desk of a police officer” Baekhyun breathed and even if his tone was playful, his fingers moved on his own torso before getting on his thighs, spreading them wider for Chanyeol.

Chanyeol couldn’t take his stare away from Baekhyun, so sexy and perfect on his desk, so willing, so wanting for Chanyeol’s touches.

“Oh, really? How’s it? Enjoying it?” Chanyeol asked him fingers gently reaching Baekhyun’s on his thighs, caressing him, reaching the groin area again but without touching his erection nor moving toward his balls or entrance.

Baekhyun bit his lips, staring briefly at him, cheeks glowing pleasantly in red.

“Still waiting for the best part” he retorted fingers reaching his own lips, slightly parting them and licking them softly, making Chanyeol gulp down, clearly _oh so wanting_ as he was too.

“I… don’t have lube here, though” Chanyeol started to say but Baekhyun chuckled softly, shaking his head.

“You think that my past didn’t teach me anything? Take my wallet, it’s on the back pocket of my jeans, somewhere over there” Baekhyun stated making Chanyeol chuckle softly, squeezing Baekhyun’s thigh before he quickly moved to retrieve the wallet and giving it to Baekhyun.

“You could have taken it by yourself” Baekhyun stated, opening it and taking out a mono dose of lube and a condom, just for good use.

“It’s… something personal. Didn’t want to be rude” Chanyeol retorted making Baekhyun chuckle again, shaking his head.

“It’s not an argument I would make when you are about to fuck me, actually” Baekhyun observed and even before Chanyeol could object something, Baekhyun smiled at him, giving him the lube and a condom.

“And I hope you will be a bit rude with me when you will do it. I’m not fan of vanilla” Baekhyun added, making Chanyeol groaning lowly, taking the small foil package and leaning down, biting again Baekhyun’s neck.

“Do you want me too? Really? Won’t you complain after about not being enough soft with you?” Chanyeol breathed against his neck and Baekhyun let out a soft chuckle shaking his head.

“I wonder how you really are, _officer_. Show me your true self in this” Baekhyun breathed and Chanyeol inhaled deeply Baekhyun’s scent before opening the small lube package and pouring almost all its content on his fingers, smearing it between them.

“ _My true self_?” Chanyeol echoed shortly, hand easily reaching Baekhyun’s leg and pulling it slightly up, granting him better access to his entrance.

Baekhyun followed his movement so diligently, but clearly out of interest more than naivety.

“Yeah, you act all tough but you are a big softie, actually” Baekhyun replied briefly, making Chanyeol frown shortly, shaking his head.

“Do you have to give me a profiling session right now?” Chanyeol retorted, shaking his head before he could near his fingers on Baekhyun’s entrance, softly touching it, smearing the lube on it too, circling but without inserting.

Baekhyun bit his lips, stare never leaving Chanyeol’s.

“You are doing it again. Replying coldly to situations that make you feel attacked, or unprepared” Baekhyun continued softly, gently lifting up also the other leg, allowing Chanyeol even more space.

Chanyeol groaned lowly, shaking his head before leaning down and biting Baekhyun’s neck, sucking there a hickey, first finger gently pressing in and finding it way less resistance than what he expected.

And it was such a pleasant thing.

Baekhyun bit his lips even harder than before, spreading his legs wider, letting Chanyeol thrust his finger better inside Baekhyun.

“You are so loose here, Baekhyun. Do you touch yourself regularly?” Chanyeol asked him, turning around his fingers, his other hand softly caressing Baekhyun’s thigh, making him shiver softly under his ministrations.

“I-I do, yeah. Especially after we met the first times. I always wondered how your fingers would fill me up” Baekhyun breathed hands moving up to his torso again, pulling the t-shirt up with them and revealing again his nipples, hard and swollen and his toned abdomen.

Even before Chanyeol could reply, Baekhyun gently sucked on his own fingers shortly before moving them on his own nipples, making them even more swollen and dark rose, sparkling under the light.

Chanyeol leant down again, unable to refuse Baekhyun’s clear invitation on playing with his nipples too, and stuck out his tongue, lapping at one of them, while he thrusted in another finger, making Baekhyun arch his back from the wooden surface, taking all of it and gripping on Chanyeol’s hair shortly.

“And are you liking it? It was as you expected it?” Chanyeol asked him, hot breath caressing Baekhyun’s wet nipple, making Baekhyun shiver under him, arching his back again, clearly asking for more contact.

“What do you think? I’m letting you finger me on your desk, preparing me to be fucked here, and you ask me if I’m liking it?” Baekhyun let out breathily, smirk appearing on his lips.

But it didn’t stay there much, especially not when Chanyeol bit his nipple before thrusting in another fingers, feeling Baekhyun’s fingers pulling harder at his hair and on his back, biting down on his lips to prevent the high-pitched moan it was about to exit.

“How I would like to hear your voice… I’m sure it’s erotic as you are. So loose and open just for me to take” Chanyeol whispered against his nipple, feeling Baekhyun vibrating beneath him and starting to thrust his fingers inside Baekhyun, a faster pace than before, squelching sounds filling the room together with Baekhyun’s poorly hidden moans.

And really.

Was there someone more erotic than Baekhyun, so open and willing to be hold by Chanyeol on his office desk?

“What are you waiting for then? Take me” Baekhyun groaned lowly and Chanyeol shook his head, moving on the other nipple, licking and nibbling at it, while he set an even faster pace of his thrust inside Baekhyun.

“This early? And without even tracing better down here?” Chanyeol asked him, gently scissoring his fingers inside Baekhyun whose fingers gripped harder on Chanyeol’s back, signing it, before moving on Chanyeol’s forearm that was fingering him, stopping him.

“We… don’t have time for that” Baekhyun groaned lowly, stare full blown and glassy but still way too rational, reminding Chanyeol where they were.

And Chanyeol inhaled deeply, nodding shortly, thrusting gently again before he could pull his fingers out, much to Baekhyun’s displeasure, and pulled down his trousers and boxer, freeing his erection, fully hard and leaking precum too.

He took the other foil package, ripping it open before rolling down the condom on his shaft, tugging it shortly just for good measure.

Then his stare moved again on Baekhyun that slightly rose up from his position just to look at Chanyeol’s doing.

“What?” Chanyeol asked him and Baekhyun bit his lips, smirk easily coming up to them, glossy and abused from Baekhyun’s biting.

“Just looking… for future reference” Baekhyun replied shrugging his shoulders and Chanyeol pushed him down again, not so gently taking behind his thighs and pulling him near, erection grinding against Baekhyun’s.

“So that you can jerk off thinking of it?” Chanyeol asked him again and Baekhyun didn’t even try to hide it.

“Tell me you don’t like the idea” he whispered back and, fuck, Chanyeol _loved_ the idea of Baekhyun fingering himself or touching himself _thinking_ about Chanyeol’s erection and how he was about to fuck him good.

“Never said this” Chanyeol retorted, tugging again his erection before guiding it on Baekhyun’s entrance and without tell him anything more, he simply thrusted all in, bottoming out.

Baekhyun covered his mouth with his hand, muffling down the sound and again how much Chanyeol would have paid to _hear those sounds_ , arching his back and taking all Chanyeol’s inside himself, hot and wet.

His feeling around Chanyeol’s erection was tight and Chanyeol wanted to thrust so bad, fucking Baekhyun without thinking about anything else but that, and he was about to ask Baekhyun if he was fine when Baekhyun glared at him, hand moving on Chanyeol’s hair, pulling a bit.

“Fuck me, Chanyeol” he only stated and Chanyeol obeyed, leaning down, biting his neck again, sucking hickeys here and there, while he started thrusting deeper inside Baekhyun, setting a faster pace, hands gripping on Baekhyun’s sides helping the movement inside him.

Baekhyun moaned lowly before biting again his lips, trying to keep it quiet, but Chanyeol bit him harder on his neck, making him gasp.

“Y-Yeol” he moaned loudly and it was so erotic and so low and so _Baekhyun_ that Chanyeol groaned lowly, sucking another hickey also there, making Baekhyun whimper softly.

“More, give me more” he whispered, pulling again at Chanyeol’s hair but in the meantime giving him more access to his neck and arching his back better, trying to match Chanyeol’s thrusts inside him.

And when he managed the union resulted in a perfect synchronicity that Chanyeol never had with anyone else, probably neither his former partner.

Chanyeol moved one of his hand on Baekhyun’s nipple, pulling and pinching at it, making Baekhyun groan lowly too, bite again down on his lips and arching his back differently, letting Chanyeol thrust against his prostate.

Baekhyun shut his eyes closed, throwing his head back, moaning Chanyeol’s name and simply asking for more and more again, voice mixing with his hidden moans while he tried to keep quiet and muffle them with his hands or biting his lips.

And Chanyeol felt the very same, because he felt like his own erection was about to explode, feeling so engulfed in that hotness and wetness, Baekhyun’s tightly clenching on it, matching his pace and being so damn arousing on his desk.

“I’m almost here” Baekhyun breathed, gripping on Chanyeol’s hair and pulling, forcing him to look back at Baekhyun and fuck if he wasn’t beautiful.

Baekhyun was sparkling, glowing under the office light, hair sticking to his sweaty forehead, lips glossy and swollen, slightly parted.

And Chanyeol couldn’t resist the temptation.

“Come for me” Chanyeol breathed leaning down and sloppily kissing Baekhyun, feeling him come between them, moaning in the kiss, painting white his own torso, clenching even hardly on Chanyeol’s erection, literally milking the orgasm out of Chanyeol who came copiously, seeing sparkling white lights behind his eyes, moaning against Baekhyun’s lips and feeling so sated and in bliss like he never felt in _years_.

They stayed there shortly, breathing in each other space, Chanyeol gently stroking Baekhyun’s thighs.

“A-Are you… okay?” Chanyeol asked him, gently pulling out of Baekhyun, helping him to sit up and Baekhyun chuckled softly, looking at Chanyeol, amused.

“You really are a big softie” he stated and Chanyeol was huffing, almost moving away from where he was standing, between Baekhyun’s legs still wide spread and sitting on his desk, when Baekhyun circled his neck with his arms, pulling him near.

“I’m more than okay, Chanyeol. I needed this. Thank you” he whispered, smiling at him and Chanyeol smiled briefly back.

“I needed it too. But now we have to clean up this mess and try to focus back on whatever we were doing before _this_ happened” Chanyeol noted back, arching his eyebrow and Baekhyun chuckle softly again, nodding.

“Yessir” he joke-replied, tracing again Chanyeol’s abs with his fingertips before gently pushing him away.

“Let’s go” he concluded and now it was Chanyeol’s turn to chuckle, gently smacking Baekhyun’s buttock when he leant down to pick up his boxers and jeans.

“What was that for?” Baekhyun asked him back, but his cheeks were slightly red again, making Chanyeol think about how many things they could do together, knowing that Baekhyun was quite open to every suggestion or so it seems from their previous discourses.

“I like your ass, it’s… soft but toned. Perfect to be smacked” Chanyeol stated shrugging his shoulders, simply letting out his thoughts and Baekhyun bit his lips again, stare inquiring Chanyeol’s whole being.

“You… mean it?” Baekhyun asked back, blush spreading on his cheeks, and Chanyeol neared him again, both hands going to cup Baekhyun’s buttocks.

“Interested?” he retorted, leaning down and gently licking his ear, making Baekhyun shiver near him.

“A lot” Baekhyun replied honestly, carding again his fingers in Chanyeol’s hair and pulling him even down.

“However,” he breathed in Chanyeol’s ear, “you are right. And if someone comes in now, it would be… _difficult_ to explain what’s happening without mentioning the fact that you just fucked me _oh so good_ ” Baekhyun concluded and Chanyeol inhaled deeply placing a soft kiss on the side of his neck.

“It’s nice hearing you say that I’m right” Chanyeol stated, finally slowly removing the condom from his erection, and after balling it up with a paper tissue, he threw it away in the bin, putting back again boxers and trousers.

“Don’t get used to it. I won’t happen so frequently” Baekhyun chuckled, cleaning himself up a bit and putting his clothes on too, shortly messing his hair up, stare searching the room for something.

“Water?” Chanyeol asked him, picking up a small bottle from the minifridge behind his desk, and Baekhyun frowned shortly.

“Do you read minds?” he objected, taking the bottle and emptying more than half of it in one go.

“Nope, it’s just one of the most common things you may need after sex?” Chanyeol stated, shrugging his shoulders and Baekhyun hummed in thought, probably thinking about what he usually needed after it.

“Well, yeah. And a cigarette. I totally need one now” he whispered, fingers carding through his hair and Chanyeol nodded shortly.

“Let’s have a cigarette break before trying to focus on whoever may be doing these things” Chanyeol proposed and Baekhyun beamed at him, nodding.

And after the cigarette break that became also lunch break since it was almost two in the afternoon, Baekhyun sat again on Jondae’s desk, listening again on those tracks trying to figure out something about that voice.

“Are you sure you are not mistaking it? I mean voices are…” Chanyeol started to say but Baekhyun shook his head.

“Voices are unique. It’s almost impossible for a voice to be perfectly identical to another. And I’m sure about that voice. It’s from a stranger, his Korean is not fluid, and he still has problems with some sounds” Baekhyun whispered, more trying to analyze things himself more than actually explaining it to Chanyeol.

“And where did you hear it last time?” Chanyeol asked him, making Baekhyun frown, trying to focus, fingers pulling at his bottom lips.

“I… think it was one of the last time I came here, after my brother died. There was this Hispanic man who was here for… armed robbery?” Baekhyun whispered and then, suddenly, he lighted up, nodding, fingers typing quickly on the keyboard of Jondae’s computer.

Chanyeol was perplexed by how good Baekhyun’s memory actually was.

Baekhyun always complained about being old and starting to be forgetful, but hell if he worked it wonderfully.

“If it’s really him…” Baekhyun started saying but trailing off when a result showed up on the screen, making Baekhyun frown even deeper.

“What the fuck?” he let out, shaking his head and Chanyeol frowned too, not understanding what was happening.

Baekhyun inhaled deeply before turning toward Chanyeol.

“I introduce you Mario Santos. Imprisoned on the second half of December of fifteen years ago. Died three years ago in jail” Baekhyun stated, fingers gently showing the death date on the screen, making Chanyeol frown.

“What the fuck?” he asked back too and Baekhyun bit his lips shortly, shaking his head.

“It doesn’t make sense…” Chanyeol started saying but Baekhyun was frowning, clearly thinking about something.

And when Chanyeol was about to enquire any further, Baekhyun shook his head, glancing at the clock on the wall.

“It doesn’t make sense, no. And it’s too late to think about it now. I don’t think this day will bring us anymore result than this” Baekhyun stated, stretching his arms over his head, making Chanyeol shortly nod in agreement.

It was almost six already, of the twenty-fourth of December.

Probably nobody was anymore in the office and even if they wanted to start and investigate more in the matter, they should wait until the twenty-sixth.

“I’m… going to the orphanage tonight. This time simply as Baekhyun, not Santa Claus. Want to, uhm, tag along?” Baekhyun whispered softly, and heavens Chanyeol wanted to kiss him so bad out of the blue and for no reason.

Unfortunately, though, he promised his sister that he would have visited, at least for the evening of Christmas’ Eve.

“I promised my sister to go and have dinner with them, since I’m a rude brother, and uncle, who usually forget to have a family” Chanyeol replied, shrugging his shoulders, and making Baekhyun chuckle briefly, nodding.

“Please go, then. Family is… something sacred. Something that should be cherished as much as you can while you have the chance” Baekhyun muttered, stare shifting away, clearly sadder and probably thinking about his brother.

“I’m…” Chanyeol started but Baekhyun shook his head.

“Don’t. I don’t like sympathy. I brought this upon myself when I acted as I did in the past. It’s no one but my fault. No need to be sorry for that” Baekhyun stated forcing a soft smile and sitting up from the desk, picking up his jacket.

“See you tomorrow?” Chanyeol asked him and Baekhyun nodded, smile not fading from his lips.

“Enjoy your evening, Chanyeol” he concluded before going away without a word more and Chanyeol felt almost bad about that, wondering how _alone_ Baekhyun really was.

He was always so solar, so positive despite his smartass and flirty attitude, but what was there beneath that mask, that persona that he carefully crafted in those years?

An orphanage that he _inherited_ from his brother because apparently Baekhyun took Baekbom’s role as supporter and sponsor when his brother died?

Or that small shop that Baekhyun filled with small things that were arguably useful and that only affectionate clients or specialists visited?

At the end of the day, when he went home, what he had?

Chanyeol finally realized why Baekhyun was reckless all his life.

Because he had nothing to lose.

And still hadn’t, especially after his brother’s death.

For few days things went normally almost like he and Baekhyun didn’t have sex in Chanyeol’s office.

Baekhyun was slightly quieter than usual, but it seemed like no one noticed apart from Chanyeol himself.

His ability to understand Baekhyun started to become more or less disturbing.

Even when also Jondae didn’t even notice Baekhyun having a weird or bad day, Chanyeol knew it immediately from how Baekhyun greeted in the morning or depending how much time it took him to go and have a cigarette.

Concerning the case, instead, they were always there.

With the lead of Mario Santos being closed since the man already died few years before, Chanyeol didn’t know what to look into anymore.

The recording didn’t say much more except the whole _knowing which is the real one_ that Chanyeol didn’t know what they were referring to and neither Baekhyun seemed to have any idea.

The substitute _Fearless Light_ just made another theft, with the same modus operandi, slightly different from Baekhyun’s, but with another murder.

It was almost eight in the evening and Baekhyun groaned lowly, fingers carding through his hair before he let out a loud swear.

“For fuck’s sake!” he stated and Jondae, the only one who was left together with Chanyeol, was startled, sitting straighter on his chair.

“I’m going home. This… _fucker_ ” Baekhyun groaned again, shaking his head and he was clearly pissed off, more than usual and there was something that was plaguing him.

Since that morning that they went to the crime scene.

Since Baekhyun hated that someone stole his nickname to _kill people_.

And it was starting to get frequent, since that was already the third time.

Baekhyun was picking up his jacket when from the door entered Yixing, frowning deeply.

“Glad you are both still here” he stated shortly and Baekhyun frowned too, looking at him interested.

“What’s up?” he asked him and Yixing’s stare immediately went to Jondae.

“Dae, go home. Also because tomorrow is the last day of the year and we need slightly more forces than usual” Chanyeol stated softly and Jondae nodded, and Chanyeol was glad that he didn’t realize that Chanyeol was sending home because Yixing wanted to speak only with him and Baekhyun.

When Jondae went out, Yixing leant on one of the desks before shaking his head.

“The higher ranks want replies. And we are not exactly giving them. In less than five days there were three murders and thefts more. This fucking guy that took your place is doing a way worse job than yours. And you are not…” Yixing started saying but Baekhyun stopped him immediately with a short gesture of his hand.

“Who _took my place and is doing a way worse than mine_ is a man, forty to forty-five years with a good knowledge of art, but not as much as mine. He has surely more than one partner, probably two or three, and one of them have police intel” Baekhyun started saying and Chanyeol frowned shortly, knowing all those things for the first time too.

Why if Baekhyun got all those clues, he didn’t share with Chanyeol?

Was he hiding something?

Yixing was about to speak up again but Baekhyun was already adding more things.

“He doesn’t know me personally, nor that I’m working with police, but he’s not trying to _take my place,_ but more… challenging me do to better than what he’s doing. That’s why he brought this _game_ to another level, something I never did” Baekhyun explained, moving shortly near to the transparent board where they pinned all the proofs and leads.

“He’s provoking me, Xing. And I don’t know why, since he doesn’t know who I am or what I am doing. Or at least… I don’t think he does” Baekhyun concluded, fingers gently moving on the last message that fake- _Fearless Light_ sent them.

It was the one that plagued Chanyeol more too.

It was more or less the same than usual, but it ended with _And it’s all their fault_.

Thing that never were mentioned before.

Yixing inhaled deeply, shaking his head.

“I understand, Baek, but what should I tell the higher ranks? That you are _taking your time thinking_?” Yixing asked him and Baekhyun groaned shortly, shaking his head.

And when Chanyeol was about to interject, that after all Baekhyun was a civilian and not an officer or part of some military rank, Baekhyun nodded briefly.

“Give me few days… Maximum second or third of January. I… have to think about this. I don’t want any innocent to get involved in this” Baekhyun whispered softly and his tone was… resigned.

Sad, mostly.

“But you are fine with innocents dying for this?” Yixing retorted immediately and Baekhyun flinched at the sudden harshness of the tone.

“That’s enough” Chanyeol stated, nearing Yixing and glaring at him.

“Baekhyun is only a civilian. We are only borrowing his talent, but it’s us who should solve crimes and understand what’s happening inside someone’s head. So _we_ are the incompetent ones” Chanyeol added, stare not moving from Yixing who frowned deeply, shaking his head.

“You don’t understand, Park. This is not a game and it’s not a matter anymore of _who_ is not doing his job properly. It’s about people’s life and what if something would happen to one of your squad? Wouldn’t you be upset?” Yixing retorted immediately, tone hard and moving again his stare toward Baekhyun.

And Chanyeol was about to comment something, telling him that he wasn’t right and it couldn’t be all on Baekhyun’s shoulders, when Baekhyun spoke up again.

“You will have your replies soon, Xing. I told you… few days. There’s also holidays in between. I’m not a magician, despite what you think” Baekhyun stated and this time his tone was quieter but more determined than before, stare not leaving Yixing.

They studied each other in silence, before Yixing could shrug his shoulders.

“No more than the fourth, Baek. And then you will have to provide a more convincing justification” Yixing concluded walking away and leaving Chanyeol alone with Baekhyun.

Baekhyun inhaled deeply, fingers carding through his hair.

“I’m going home” he whispered but Chanyeol’s hand moved on its own on Baekhyun’s wrist, gripping shortly, keeping him there.

Baekhyun frowned briefly but didn’t say anything.

“Why you didn’t tell me anything about this?” Chanyeol asked him briefly and Baekhyun hummed shortly before pressing his lips in a thin line.

“I… It’s not complete what I said to Xing. I’m waiting for some more information. I wanted to share them with you as soon as I received them. I never went to jail, but I know someone who went there and had the _pleasure_ to meet Santos. He’s the linking piece, Chanyeol. There’s something in these recordings that this fucking psychopath is leaving me that should suggest me something. Make me understand who he is, but I’m not getting it” Baekhyun groaned lowly, finally letting out a bit of what was plaguing him and Chanyeol inhaled deeply, shaking his head.

“Why the fuck you don’t talk about that with me, then? Maybe in two we could think about something more? Something different that you are not grasping yet?” Chanyeol asked him and the temptation of caressing Baekhyun’s neck, leaning down and kissing him was so strong that Chanyeol wanted to slap himself so bad.

Baekhyun sighed shortly, eyes finally coming to Chanyeol’s face, stare losing in his, searching, looking for something.

“I’m…” Baekhyun started and he was wavering, undecided, and it was the first time that Chanyeol could feel that faltering in Baekhyun’s behavior.

What was happening?

Was there something more that he wasn’t telling him?

Or he was just judging if he could trust Chanyeol or not?

And he was about to speak up when he shook his head shortly.

“Tomorrow night, after the shift. Will you find some time for me? I’ll come with replies” Baekhyun stated and Chanyeol frowned deeply, not understanding.

“You said Zhang you wouldn’t have them before the first days of January…” he started saying and Baekhyun bit his lips softly.

“Will you or not? You can wait the first days of January too, if you…” Baekhyun retorted but Chanyeol pressed a finger on Baekhyun’s lips, stopping him, stare perplexed, going wider in astonishment.

“Where should I pick you up?” Chanyeol asked him shortly but Baekhyun chuckled softly, shaking his head.

“Better clean up your house. I’ll bring a bottle of wine for the disturb” Baekhyun stated, smirk easily opening on his lips and before Chanyeol could retort something, _whatever_ , Baekhyun stick out his tongue, gently licking Chanyeol’s fingers still on his lips.

“So that we can meet work and something a bit funnier, later?” Baekhyun proposed him and _woah_ probably Chanyeol never got that hard in a single instant.

“I-I…” Chanyeol breathed but Baekhyun chuckled softly, leaning his head on the side.

“You prefer white or red? Or even better soju?” Baekhyun asked him and Chanyeol gulped down slowly.

“Surprise me” he replied making Baekhyun’s eyes went wider in perplexity before he could let out that soft and pristine laugh that Chanyeol adored.

“Sure will, Chanyeol. Now I’ll go, though. I need to go and forget about how much I wanted to punch Xing in his face before” Baekhyun breathed, shaking his head and finally putting on his jacket.

Chanyeol nodded shortly, moving toward his desk to check his phone that was vibrating.

It was few messages of his sister, asking him about his plans for the following night.

“Want a lift?” he proposed but Baekhyun was shaking his head, picking up his phone from his jacket.

“No, I… have a meeting tonight. Maybe I’ll know something more about Santos” Baekhyun stated, checking something on his phone and Chanyeol frowned, shortly, curiosity tinting his tone.

“You never sleep?” he asked shortly, fingers carding through his own hair and making Baekhyun chuckle softly again, shaking his head.

“Don’t be silly. I know you can be cleverer than this, Chanyeol” he stated, distancing himself from Chanyeol and locking his phone again.

“See you tomorrow, Chanyeol. Don’t be too late tonight” he concluded walking out of the room and leaving Chanyeol standing near his desk and Chanyeol couldn’t believe what happened in the last half an hour.

He got a meeting with Baekhyun.

For the following night.

To speak about things on that case that Yixing still didn’t know and Baekhyun didn’t share yet with anybody.

And for… sex.

Which was wonderful if Baekhyun was involved.

Chanyeol could still feel Baekhyun’s skin under his fingers and he still thought about him every time he entered his office to do something.

And who knew how it would be to have Baekhyun _all for him_ without having to think about time and people walking in on them?

He was already getting hot and bothered at the only idea when his phone vibrated again on his desk, attracting his attention.

_From Baekhyun_

_And don’t jerk off too much tonight thinking about tomorrow._

Chanyeol chuckled softly, shaking his head and wondering if Baekhyun could really read minds or if Chanyeol was way too obvious in his attraction toward Baekhyun.

Well, not that he minded either way.

As long Baekhyun was willing to play around, he would be too.

Even though Chanyeol was skillfully forgetting about the most important thing.

That _warmth_ that fluttered inside him every time he and Baekhyun were too close, how Chanyeol wanted to simply hug him and comfort him.

How he had… _feelings_ for Baekhyun.

But that wasn’t the right moment to think about them.

And maybe that moment would never come.


	2. Chapter 2

The following day, Baekhyun didn’t show up at the police station, but Chanyeol wasn’t too worried about it.  
It was all about that Mario Santos he mentioned the night before.  
And Chanyeol didn’t have much more to say, if Baekhyun had his own way to know new intel or lead.  
Thankfully nothing happened and the fucking idiot that was trying to challenge Baekhyun didn’t show up either.  
Probably he was enjoying the last day of the year too.  
Chanyeol shooed away all his team members at five thirty in the afternoon and, surprisingly, he went away with them too.  
“Oh, such a rare happening” Jondae stated when he exited with them making all the others frown too.  
“Come on guys, it’s not that bad” Chanyeol started saying but Junmyeon frowned even deeper.  
“Oh… don’t you say? An appointment for tonight? Maybe a romantic one?” Junmyeon tried wiggling his eyebrows and Chanyeol clicked his tongue, shaking his head.  
“Yeah, sure. With my sister and my nephew” he replied, chuckling softly and the others seemed to be convinced on the answer.  
Except for Jondae who stopped a bit with him at talking and, after everyone else went away, Jondae pressed his lips in a thin line, stare inquiring on Chanyeol.  
“You never left work earlier for your sister, Yeol. What’s up? Something good’s happening tonight?” Jondae asked him and Chanyeol chuckled briefly, shaking his head.  
“I told you already, it’s just my…” he tried to say but Jondae scrunched his nose shortly.  
“Sure, sure… Enjoy it tonight then” he concluded waiving at him but he wasn’t clearly convinced and he was, well, right.  
Chanyeol went home directly just to clean up a bit the house, making it definitely cleaner than before.  
Not that he wanted Baekhyun to think that he cleaned up just because he would go there but, yeah, he did.  
At eight thirty, while he was cooking something light for himself, his phone went off, Baekhyun’s ID flashing on the screen.  
“I’ll be there in five. Did you eat already?” Baekhyun asked him when Chanyeol picked up the call.  
His voice was a bit tired and not exactly happy and giddy as usual.  
“I was cooking right now. Did you?” Chanyeol retorted, making Baekhyun hum in thought.  
“No, I, no worries, I…” he started saying but Chanyeol was already stopping him.  
“There’s enough for both. I’ll wait for you” he concluded, making Baekhyun chuckle softly on the other side of the line.  
“I’m almost there. Thanks” he retorted briefly and after a short greeting, he hanged up.  
Chanyeol was glad that he put a bit more on, noodles almost ready and when Baekhyun rang at his door, also dinner was ready too.  
Chanyeol went to open and Baekhyun really brought a bottle of wine.  
He was wearing more casual than usual and less baggy.  
Black tight jeans, ripped on his knees despite the glacial weather outside, long trench coat equally black and when he entered removing his shoes and coat, underneath he had a nice anthracite gray sweater.  
He also pulled out a folded folder from inside his jacket, making Chanyeol more curious than before.  
“You look… nice” Chanyeol stated surprised by how that style actually fitted Baekhyun so well.  
Baekhyun frowned shortly before chuckling, shaking his head.  
“You mean that usually I don’t?” he asked back, making Chanyeol huff shortly, turning around and going toward the kitchen followed by Baekhyun who was chuckling again.  
“Tonight beef ramen. Not that I had much more in the fridge” Chanyeol stated giving one of the two bowls to Baekhyun and then picking up two glasses and a corkscrew.  
Baekhyun looked in silence at Chanyeol opening the bottle and pouring them some wine, which was red.  
“Hope you like red wine” Baekhyun whispered sitting up on the stool in front of Chanyeol who nodded shortly.  
“Usually I like it” he replied giving Baekhyun some chopsticks too and they started eating, slowly.  
Baekhyun hummed softly, clearly enjoying the dish.  
“Didn’t know you are a good chef too” Baekhyun stated eating slowly before drinking a bit from his glass, stare not leaving Chanyeol.  
Chanyeol shortly shrugged his shoulder, shaking his head.  
“Only basic things” he retorted but Baekhyun was humming again, clearly disapproving.  
And there was a bit of silence before Baekhyun could speak up again.  
“I know you want to ask me things. Please do it… It will be easier for me to explain too” Baekhyun whispered softly and Chanyeol inhaled deeply, emptying his bowl before nodding shortly.  
He downed his glass too, before pouring more, both for him and for Baekhyun.  
“Any news on Santos?” Chanyeol asked him briefly, trying to go directly to what seemed to be Baekhyun’s most important concern those days.  
Baekhyun inhaled deeply, nodding.  
He emptied his bowl too before speaking up, though.  
“Santos didn’t die of natural causes. He was stabbed. And fate wants that someone was accused already for that. It was his jail companion, which unfortunately is a dear acquaintance of mine and Xing’s” Baekhyun started saying picking up the folded folder from before and opening it on the table, showing to Chanyeol the content.  
“You went to the headquarters before coming here?” Chanyeol asked him and Baekhyun shortly nodded, fingers moving on the paper in front of Chanyeol, showing him a photo.  
“Suzuo Takeshi. His nationality is Korean but born from Japanese refugees, was in jail for armed robbery as Santos, but he was more willing to kill than to rob, apparently” Baekhyun continued softly, turning the page around.  
And Chanyeol was about to ask him what did he matter with the whole thief thing, when Baekhyun spoke up again.  
“Suzuo is still alive and kicking and wasn’t really happy to see me today, but it was a nice change of pace. Especially since he recognized me and menaced me, once again. Xing arrested him after I worked on his case” Baekhyun continued, fingers moving toward the middle of the page and Chanyeol read the few sentences about the case that he was involved into.  
“At first he didn’t want to tell me about Santos because, well, obviously he will stay there for all his life and I wasn’t proposing him any agreements or shit like that, but with a bit of convincing, he told me that Santos was not happy about his former robbery-mate, Kim Minjae, his fiancé a certain Lim Mary and another old acquaintance of mine Nam Junseo” Baekhyun explained picking up another sheet from the pile under Suzuo’s file.  
Baekhyun was serious while explaining and Chanyeol really thought how Baekhyun did manage to put all that research together without even asking for someone’s help.  
There was a scheme so detailed and precise that Chanyeol asked himself on how many cases Baekhyun actually worked with Yixing and if that was only technique and not something natural for Baekhyun.  
Baekhyun seemed to see beyond the usual scheme and his ability in understanding people was so sophisticated and precise to be… fearsome.  
“Nam is… apparently an ordinary banker. However, we always suspected him of having a traffic of dirty money and paintings. Not that we ever managed to prove something, but if what Suzuo told me it’s true, this means that Santos planned the robbery with Nam too. Something went wrong and he was the only one getting in jail for the whole plan” Baekhyun explained softly making Chanyeol frown shortly, fingers going to card in his hair.  
“How can we be sure that Santos really planned it with Nam? I mean… Suzuo didn’t tell you anything more?” Chanyeol asked him and Baekhyun chuckled softly, nodding.  
“Who do you think I am? Obviously I have something more for you” Baekhyun breathed, smirk quickly appearing on his lips, pulling out his phone from his pocket.  
He fidgeted shortly with it before he let Chanyeol listen a bit of the talking he had with Suzuo.  
“I never mentioned Nam before this, in the conversation, but listen to what he says here” Baekhyun started saying, pressing shortly on the play button on the screen.  
And the low voice of a man spoke up from it.  
“What the fuck do you want me to say, Byun? I don’t know what you are talking about and I’m not working with any banker nor any Junseo” the voice stated shortly and Chanyeol frowned a bit, and he was about to speak about it being clear that instead Suzuo knew him, but the recording continued.  
“I never told you he is a banker or that his name is Junseo. How do you know that? Did he ask you to kill Santos? How well do you know Nam?” Baekhyun’s voice asked Suzuo, who started muttering things, before swearing again.  
“It’s always you, Byun. You and your fucking angel face. You should go to hell for all you did to Junseo” the voice continued and Chanyeol frowned even deeper and Baekhyun pressed pause, shaking his head.  
“He knew Nam for sure. And he later admitted that Nam asked him to kill Santos so that he wouldn’t be able to talk about him and the others” Baekhyun stated, pocketing his phone again and Chanyeol carded again his fingers through his hair.  
“I don’t know what plagues me more, the fact that he voluntarily admitted the guilt and knows this Nam so well, or the fact that he called you angel face” Chanyeol commented, making Baekhyun look at him perplexed before chuckling softly, fingers pulling back his hair that fell messily on his forehead again.  
“Probably in another life I was an idol?” he tried, shrugging his shoulders and Chanyeol chuckled softly too, and he wouldn’t find that strange if Baekhyun, with his appearance and indeed angel face, would do also idol works.  
Chanyeol inhaled deeply trying to refocus on the whole matter.  
“So… what did you come up with? What is the explanation you will give Zhang?” Chanyeol asked him and Baekhyun inhaled deeply before emptying his glass.  
“Can we… move somewhere else? This stool is too high for me and I’m a bit uncomfortable?” Baekhyun asked back at him, making Chanyeol chuckle again before he could nod toward the living room, bringing with him also the bottle and the two glasses.  
Baekhyun picked up the folder with all the papers too and followed him in the living room, on the white couch that was also Chanyeol’s bed more frequently than his own bed.  
Baekhyun sat down near him, smiling briefly and stretching his legs and arms.  
“Thanks, much better” he stated before picking up some other paper sheets.  
“I… suspected already that our man most probably was Nam. There were… signs. Like the words choosing, how he formulated sentences and other small things. And the linking with Santos was suspected since the very start” Baekhyun started saying softly pouring himself and Chanyeol another glass of wine.  
“You didn’t recognize the second voice on the recording, though” Chanyeol commented and Baekhyun nodded shortly, drinking a bit from the glass.  
“No, I didn’t. But Suzuo confirmed me that it was of that Kim guy that helped Santos and Nam in the robbery” Baekhyun whispered and even before Chanyeol could ask him if they knew more about that Kim guy, Baekhyun produced another paper, giving it to Chanyeol.  
“Kim Minjae, forty years. Apparently unoccupied, lives with his fiancé, the same as before, in a building near where Jae lives. No police record on him” he stated shrugging his shoulders and Chanyeol clicked his tongue shortly before drinking a bit of wine.  
How were they supposed to even interrogate someone like him?  
Was that the end of Baekhyun’s leads?  
“However,” Baekhyun stated, surprising him again that night, “his fiancé Lim Mary, Chinese nationality and with regular work permit, had a past record for drug dealing” he continued giving him the last paper of the pile he had with him that night.  
“Oh, so we could go there to check a bit around? I could ask of Choi of drugs squad?” he proposed shortly, nodding and Baekhyun smiled softly at him.  
“I suppose so, yeah. This is what I know by now and… plan on going to talk with Nam tomorrow or the day after” he concluded but Chanyeol frowned shortly, shaking his head.  
“You can’t go alone” he argued briefly, but Baekhyun was already shaking his head too.  
“And I can’t go with an officer after me. It’s not a great idea if he really is the mind behind all of this. He will only run away” Baekhyun retorted, smiling shortly at Chanyeol, and when he was about to object something more, Baekhyun pressed his finger on Chanyeol’s lips, shutting him up.  
“I don’t want to hear anything. I will ask Xing for a radio support, no need to worry” Baekhyun whispered finishing another glass of wine and, even before Chanyeol could speak up again, Baekhyun put the glass down, softly biting his bottom lip and looking toward Chanyeol.  
“Will you just tell me that I did a good work and reward me as I deserve since I spent all the last day of the year in a country prison and then in the police archives?” Baekhyun asked him shortly, alluring, clearly hinting to something more physical than a real reward.  
“Some kind of praise kink I don’t know about?” Chanyeol retorted, taking Baekhyun’s fingers in his and gently pulling him so that he could sit on Chanyeol’s laps.  
It was such a pleasant vision, having Baekhyun on his laps, stunning and so sweetly scented and that sweater really caressed nicely Baekhyun’s shapes instead of that usual oversized hoodies that hid them.  
“At all. I just think it would be even more motivating if there was a reward each time, no? Especially when I manage to focus because you going around wearing those tight and distracting shirts at work? Or when you roll up your sleeves?” Baekhyun breathed, moving his fingers on Chanyeol’s shoulders and arms, fingertips gently brushing on Chanyeol’s shirt, before going down to his holster.  
“You didn’t change your clothes yet?” Baekhyun asked him interested and Chanyeol shook his head.  
“No cleaned a bit and started dinner but I thought you would come slightly later” Chanyeol admitted, moving his hands on Baekhyun’s sides, making him hum in appreciation, before he could lean down shortly, speaking in Chanyeol’s ear.  
“I don’t mind actually, you know? You are so… attractive like this” he breathed, softly biting his bottom lip again, before he could press his lips on the side of Chanyeol’s neck, letting his tongue gently lick on it too, making Chanyeol grip gently on Baekhyun’s sides.  
“Oh, so you like it? And what more do you like, Baekhyun? Will you tell me willingly or I have to interrogate you too?” Chanyeol asked him, making Baekhyun chuckle softly against his neck, teeth going to gently graze on it.  
“It depends, officer. What do I get if I reply obediently? Because sometimes rougher ways work better than others” Baekhyun breathed, moving shortly from his neck and looking at Chanyeol, stare looking directly at him.  
Chanyeol looked back, shortly licking his lips before biting the bottom one in thought.  
“You want me to reward you or to scold you, Baekhyun? Because I kinda got last time that you like being spanked?” Chanyeol retorted making Baekhyun’s eyes went wider in surprise, probably that Chanyeol remembered about that, and bit his lip too, stare darkening with lust.  
“This is a reward, though, at least for me” Baekhyun whispered, voice way lower and sensual than before and Chanyeol’s hand immediately went on Baekhyun’s ass, gripping harder, making him groan lowly.  
“We could start from that, then? And enjoy the time we have a bit since last time was… rushed?” Chanyeol breathed before leaning in and biting Baekhyun’s neck, feeling him carding his fingers in Chanyeol’s hair, pulling him near.  
“It seems already nice to me, Chanyeol” he relied briefly, voice no more than a breathy whisper, making Chanyeol feeling his own erection twitching in his trousers.  
“Hold on my neck” he almost order and when Baekhyun frowned but circled his neck with his arms, Chanyeol picked him up from they were sitting, holding him under his thighs.  
“You are so light! Do you even eat properly?” Chanyeol asked him, making Baekhyun chuckle softly, snuggling his nose on Chanyeol’s neck, making his grip harder on Baekhyun’s thighs.  
“Oh, cut it, Chanyeol. I’m not here to hear you talking about my weight” Baekhyun started saying and Chanyeol pressed his lips in a thin line.  
“About your absence of weight, you want to say” Chanyeol countered immediately and even before Baekhyun could huff, Chanyeol moved toward his bedroom, gently massaging Baekhyun’s thighs.  
“And tell me more about things that you like…” Chanyeol continued before pushing the half-open door with his back and clicking the lights on, revealing his bedroom.  
Nothing fancy.  
Beige and white, big oversized bed almost occupying most of it.  
“I like mint ice-cream, especially with chocolate. And marshmallow. But I don’t dislike neither salty things like ramen and beef, oh, a lot of beef” Baekhyun started saying making Chanyeol chuckle softly, shaking his head before he could lean Baekhyun down on his bed, hovering him.  
Baekhyun underneath him was… a miracle.  
So beautiful and so soft yet sensual and Chanyeol wanted to have him there forever.  
“Beef?” Chanyeol echoed, fingers gently going to caress Baekhyun’s thigh, reaching for his hips.  
Baekhyun spread his legs wider, letting Chanyeol stay in between them.  
“Yeah… I mean, look here” Baekhyun replied, fingers moving on Chanyeol’s torso and literally groping his pectorals.  
Chanyeol snorted shaking his head and removing his holster with the gun and then started unbuttoning his shirt, much to Baekhyun’s pleasure.  
“Indeed, look at you” Baekhyun commented again when all Chanyeol’s torso was in sight and Baekhyun’s fingers could roam everywhere on it.  
Seemed like Baekhyun was enjoying it and, yeah, Chanyeol enjoyed Baekhyun’s fingers on himself too.  
They were pleasantly colder than his own temperature and brushed on every inch of it with such grace yet much intent that Chanyeol bit shortly his lips before he could remove completely the shirt, letting it fall on the floor behind him.  
Baekhyun whistled in appreciation, moving his fingers also on Chanyeol’s neck and shoulders, making his skin explode in goosebumps.  
“Last time I had so few time to touch you. Such a pity” Baekhyun whispered, tracing the profile of Chanyeol’s arms too, down to his wrist, making Chanyeol close his eyes in appreciation.  
“A pity, indeed” Chanyeol let out softly, liking way too much the way Baekhyun was touching him, despite he was doing nothing much but brushing his skin with his fingertips.  
It was so arousing, though…  
Baekhyun’s fingers moved again down to his torso, stopping on his abs shortly before reaching his hips.  
“You are so pleasant to look at and to touch, Chanyeol” Baekhyun muttered, fingers going to play with Chanyeol’s belt and, even before he could do something, Baekhyun’s fingers met the cold metal of Chanyeol’s handcuffs.  
He always had them on his belt, together with his badge, even when he wasn’t wearing his uniform.  
It was a thing he got especially when he got promoted and, despite not having to wear his uniform everyday, there were still cases in which he had to arrest someone.  
“Oh” Baekhyun let out, biting his own lips, stare clearly tinting up in interest.  
“Forget it. They are not…” Chanyeol started saying softly but Baekhyun chuckled briefly, smirk easily appearing on his lips.  
“To play around? Maybe you say it now and I will let it slip for today because you promised me something else, but I am definitely interested in those too” Baekhyun breathed back, fingers moving back to Chanyeol’s belt.  
Chanyeol took his hand, fingers lacing with Baekhyun’s, pushing it back down to the mattress.  
“First things first, I think there is something else we have to do, no?” Chanyeol breathed, leaning down and softly kissing his neck before he could move his own hands underneath Baekhyun’s sweater and t-shirt, meeting his warm skin, making him shiver gently.  
“I wonder why you are so warm, Chanyeol…” Baekhyun let out, biting his lips and closing his eyes briefly, enjoying the touches and Chanyeol chuckled softly against his neck before briefly biting him.  
“And you this cold? I mean… you are a wonder, really” Chanyeol let out, fingers moving up Baekhyun’s chest, brushing on his nipples and making him bring his own hand to his mouth to muffle a soft moan.  
“Ah, no… not this time” Chanyeol stated, taking Baekhyun’s hand in his and pushing it away from his mouth, earning himself a brief frown from Baekhyun.  
“I want to hear your voice, this time. Last time I couldn’t because we were in a tight spot, but tonight…” he started saying softly but Baekhyun shook his head, shortly.  
“I don’t usually… let out my voice much” he retorted immediately, making Chanyeol frown shortly too.  
“Because you don’t like your voice or because you don’t like letting it out?” Chanyeol inquired briefly, fingers moving again on Baekhyun’s nipples, making Baekhyun slightly arch his back, biting his lips shortly.  
“I-I… It’s something we have to talk about now?” Baekhyun groaned, fingers gripping harder on the duvet under him when Chanyeol pulled his nipple between his fingers and Chanyeol leant down briefly, speaking in Baekhyun’s ears.  
“We don’t have to, no. But I like your voice. It’s so sensual and arousing and I like the idea the hear you when I’m giving you pleasure” Chanyeol whispered lowly, pulling again at it, making Baekhyun muffle another moan.  
“You do?” Baekhyun asked him and Chanyeol bit his ear shortly, licking it, without stopping his fingers but moving them to Baekhyun’s other nipple, hearing him hide a small groan.  
“If I do? Your voice is the best, Baekhyun, so low and pleasant yet I bet it gets high-pitched if I’m good enough to do the right things?” Chanyeol asked him, squeezing it again, making Baekhyun bit his lips again, fingers carding in Chanyeol’s hair and pulling him down.  
And there was an instant of complete silence before Baekhyun could let out a statement that made Chanyeol rethink completely whatever was happening in that moment.  
“I… They never wanted to hear it. It was noisy and they quite enjoy how I hide pleasure more than showing it. And my mouth was usually stuffed so, yeah…” Baekhyun whispered, so lowly that for a moment Chanyeol wasn’t even sure that he actually said it but when he realized that he fucking did, he growled lowly, moving his mouth on Baekhyun’s neck, biting him before distancing himself and looking back at Baekhyun.  
“Hey” he called him and when Baekhyun for a moment tried to shift his stare away, Chanyeol fingers caressed his cheeks, guiding him to look back at Chanyeol.  
And when he did, Chanyeol was dead serious, despite the situation they were into.  
“Everything of you fucking attract me, Baekhyun, but I want this to be pleasant for both. You don’t have to please me, it has to be for you too and if you are fine with letting your voice out, I will fucking like it. And if you are not, because you don’t want to, I’ll be fine with it either. But not because others forced you not to. I want all of you here, with all your tastes, both likes and dislikes” Chanyeol stated looking back at Baekhyun and earning himself a long indecipherable stare before Baekhyun could slightly nod in agreement.  
“I won’t be less attracted to you if you like or don’t like something” Chanyeol added, leaning down again and gently lapping on Baekhyun’s neck when he previously bit him.  
Baekhyun shivered, fingers carding through Chanyeol’s hair, slightly gripping, letting out a soft whimper when Chanyeol’s fingers went again to play with his nipple, pulling and tumbling it.  
“And you really want me to…” Chanyeol started saying but Baekhyun chuckled softly near him.  
“Hey, now don’t overthink about it. I would like you to slap my ass since the first time I realize how big your hands are” Baekhyun muttered, and even if his cheeks were rosier, there was a pleasant smile on his lips.  
Chanyeol hummed, sitting on his knees and looking at Baekhyun shortly before unbuttoning Baekhyun’s jeans and pulling them away a bit unceremoniously, together with his boxer, making Baekhyun bit his lips, but without trying to hide his half-hard erection.  
“Look at you, so beautiful” Chanyeol let out, softly caressing Baekhyun’s thighs and heavens if he was perfect.  
Everything of Baekhyun looked perfect, well-proportioned, smooth and so easy to touch, caress and tease.  
Chanyeol could literally lose himself in all that perfection and he realized that he never adored someone as he was doing in that moment with Baekhyun.  
“S-Stop staring, you are making me feel self-conscious” Baekhyun muttered, hands going up to hide his face but Chanyeol took them away immediately, making Baekhyun look back at him.  
“And why? Because you are this perfect? This beautiful?” Chanyeol asked him, fingers caressing again his thighs, making him spread again his legs, hands gently caressing his inner thighs, nearing Baekhyun’s groin area but without entering.  
Baekhyun shivered under him, making Chanyeol inhale shortly before he could lean down again, lips gently brushing Baekhyun’s nipple while his hands still caressed his thighs.  
Everything was so attracting to Chanyeol that he could swear that he was going crazy, losing himself in that warm perfection, that sensual attraction they both had for each other, and Baekhyun’s scent that was flowery and so damn fresh.  
Baekhyun’s fingers went again through Chanyeol’s hair, gently caressing them.  
Chanyeol licked Baekhyun’s nipple again, slowly, turning around it before sucking softly on it, lips closing tighter around it and finally hearing Baekhyun’s moan.  
A real moan.  
Not muffled by anything, nor between his bit lips, nor half-hidden.  
And it was so pleasant, going directly to thicken Chanyeol’s erection.  
“Such a beautiful sound” Chanyeol breathed hotly against his saliva-wet nipple, making Baekhyun shiver again, arching his back from the bed, looking for more contact, gripping harder on Chanyeol’s hair.  
“You are teasing me, now, Chanyeol” Baekhyun breathed but Chanyeol softly shook his head, nose brushing against his nipple, making him muffle another moan.  
“Do you want me to stop? To go directly to whichever else? Or can I make you feel good as I say without you complaining and simply letting me do things my way?” Chanyeol asked him chuckling softly, shortly gripping on Baekhyun’s thigh, making him groan lowly.  
“Your way?” Baekhyun retorted frowning perplexed and Chanyeol was about to reply when Baekhyun gripped harder in Chanyeol’s hair, pulling him slightly down, lips almost brushing against each other’s.  
“I think you don’t understand, officer. I like whatever you will do to me, just hurry the fuck up because I want you so bad and for how much I like foreplays and what you are doing is indeed pleasant, but it’s not the right night to play around. So can you kindly go straighter to the point?” Baekhyun asked him softly, even if his tone was decided and almost imperative, making Chanyeol chuckle softly against Baekhyun’s lips.  
“Oh, Baekhyun… You are so cute when you are trying to act all tough and strong, but I’ll tell you something” Chanyeol whispered back before shortly licking Baekhyun’s bottom lips, pulling it between his teeth, gently sucking on it before letting it go.  
“There’s nothing straight on me and you need to relax a bit, relieve some stress and I will arrive for sure to everything you want from me, but this time at my pace” Chanyeol added smiling softly toward Baekhyun who was already chuckling shaking his head.  
“We did it also last time” he started to retort, but Chanyeol clicked his tongue.  
“Not at all. We had to rush everything and I couldn’t even touch you properly. And I promise I’ll let you do as you want next time if you are good enough this time” Chanyeol offered making Baekhyun frown shortly, pondering on things, stare not leaving Chanyeol’s.  
And after a long moment, Baekhyun nodded.  
“You said it. Next time it will be my way” Baekhyun stated and Chanyeol nodded shortly before adding a soft if you are good enough and Baekhyun was about to retort something but Chanyeol caressed again his thighs, nearing even more than before the groin area, making Baekhyun bit his lips, suffocating whatever he wanted to say.  
“I promise you that you won’t regret it” Chanyeol added before leaning down again and restarting his work on Baekhyun’s nipples, slowly and alternating both between his lips and under his teeth.  
Baekhyun writhed beneath him, half-moan and groans constantly leaving his lips, fingers continuously pulling at Chanyeol’s hair especially when Chanyeol almost without giving too much attention, moved one of his hand on Baekhyun’s balls, gently squeezing them.  
“Chanyeol” Baekhyun groaned, pulling at his hair and Chanyeol hummed softly sucking again on one of Baekhyun’s nipples, deciding that that probably was enough since they both were swollen, glossy sparkling of saliva under the bedroom lights and way redder than before.  
“You look so good already” Chanyeol whispered, gently flicking one of them, making Baekhyun groan again, arching his back.  
“When don’t I?” Baekhyun retorted cockily and Chanyeol hummed and, well, despite being indeed a smartass reply, he totally agreed with him.  
“Turn around if you want me to reward you” Chanyeol stated, slapping Baekhyun’s thigh, earning himself a lustful stare from Baekhyun who nodded shortly, turning around, and more than on his hands and knees, he was lying down with only his lower part raised up.  
Chanyeol gently brushed his fingers down Baekhyun’s spine, seeing his skin bloom in goosebumps.  
The bird-like tattoo was indeed a hummingbird, beautiful even in black and white and indeed there were several scars on his back.  
“I like your tattoo, but slightly less these…” Chanyeol whispered, tracing the profile of few of them with his fingers, making Baekhyun jolt briefly, especially on the longer scar.  
“Do you want me to tell about these? Now?” Baekhyun asked him and Chanyeol leant down, softly biting his nape, while his hand caressed Baekhyun’s thigh up and down, gently.  
“You don’t have to. I’m only asking, feel free to say no” Chanyeol retorted immediately before gripping softly on Baekhyun’s buttocks, making him groan lowly, before he could let out a soft sigh.  
“The five short ones are… accidents from a younger life. One of the men I went with didn’t like something I said and had a great idea of hitting me with his belt” Baekhyun whispered shortly making Chanyeol click his tongue, shaking his head, clearly annoyed and upset with the only idea.  
He was about to ask if Baekhyun somehow reacted to that shit or if he at least filed a lawsuit against him but Baekhyun spoke up again, tone almost indifferent, like they weren’t talking about how some jerk scarred him in his past.  
“And no, before you ask it, I didn’t file any charge against him” Baekhyun added and even though Chanyeol didn’t agree, he could understand the whole point in Baekhyun’s teenager head, especially since probably it happened when he was still keeping secret the whole underage gay pub visits.  
“And the longer one?” Chanyeol asked him, tracing its profile with his fingertips, and Baekhyun stayed silent for a moment before replying, stretching his arm longer over his head before resting it on them, glancing at Chanyeol over his shoulder.  
“My… brother never knew about this either. I pretended that it was the same of the shorter one. I didn’t have any courage to tell him that his father did it to me” he muttered shortly and Chanyeol inhaled deeply unbelieving.  
“Why?” he asked him shortly but Baekhyun shook his head, wriggling his ass near Chanyeol, invitation being clearer than the words that followed.  
“Maybe another time, officer. Quit it with the questions and move your hands more. You are killing the mood” Baekhyun stated and it was definitive, Chanyeol not even dreaming about asking more about that.  
“I’ll do my best to making it better immediately” he whispered leaning down and biting Baekhyun’s ears before gently slapping his left buttock, earning himself a soft moan.  
“Oh, so you do like it” Chanyeol whispered moving his lips on Baekhyun’s nape, not so gently biting it and Baekhyun let out a breathy chuckle.  
“What did you expect? Your hands are so pleasant against my skin and I kinda like the sting?” Baekhyun retorted shrugging his shoulders and making Chanyeol grip harder on the same buttock he just slapped, before hitting it again.  
Baekhyun arched his back, biting his bottom lip, muffling another moan, before he could raise slightly his ass and Chanyeol didn’t have to ask anything, gesture being clear enough.  
He let his hand slide down Baekhyun’s right thigh before coming up again and gently slapping it too, sound more than real strength in the gesture.  
Chanyeol didn’t know where it was Baekhyun’s pain limit and last thing he wanted was hurting him.  
Baekhyun didn’t complain, so that degree was fine for him, making Chanyeol continue his ministration on Baekhyun’s ass, alternating left and right, earning himself continuously muffled moans and groans.  
Chanyeol liked that way more than he cared to admit, considering how soft and pleasant Baekhyun’s butt was.  
He leant down, placing again his lips against Baekhyun’s nape and shoulder blades, starting to bite and suck hickeys everywhere, leaving a red and purple blooming line of marks, making Baekhyun writhe under him, clearly enjoying the whole thing too, despite his moans and groans were still muffled, hidden between his lips or covered by his hands.  
It was a pity because Chanyeol really wanted to hear Baekhyun’s voice so much, but he didn’t want to force anything on him, especially not after that he knew why he was doing it.  
“You are so… fucking beautiful, Baekhyun” Chanyeol breathed, smacking Baekhyun’s ass again, making Baekhyun hide another moan, arching his back, softly asking for more and Chanyeol was more than okay with that.  
“Can I … start preparing you too while I continue this?” Chanyeol asked him shortly, earning a short nod from Baekhyun who was starting to stand up.  
“Where are you going?” Chanyeol asked him frowning shortly and Baekhyun exchanged his same perplexed stare.  
“Retrieving lube…?” he retorted like that was the most normal answer in the world but Chanyeol chuckled softly, gently pushing him down again, while he was stretching toward the drawer of the nightstand, picking up a baby blue bottle.  
“Oh” Baekhyun let out softly, pleased by the sudden appearance of said item, making Chanyeol chuckle softly.  
“You thought I wasn’t equipped for this?” Chanyeol asked briefly, hands moving again on Baekhyun’s thighs, caressing his skin, feeling it explode in goosebumps.  
“Seeing last time…” Baekhyun started to reply but Chanyeol slapped his ass soundly, cutting him off.  
“Who would have thought that of all the people, Byun Baekhyun, would have proposed me to fuck him hard on my office desk? It was quite a sudden happening, actually” Chanyeol observed making Baekhyun bit his lips before he could let out a soft chuckle too.  
“You mean a sudden yet pleasant happening, I guess” Baekhyun retorted, making Chanyeol lean down again, biting his nape again, earning himself a soft moan.  
“Who’s getting cocky here? But yeah, I can’t deny it. It was way more than pleasant” Chanyeol commented, hands gripping harder on Baekhyun’s ass before he could spread them, revealing his pink entrance, pouring a bit of lube directly on it, making Baekhyun hiss at the cold contact.  
“Ah, fuck…” Baekhyun let out, biting again his lips, but spreading his legs slightly wider than before, not so stranger at the feeling of cold lube being poured directly on his ass.  
Chanyeol hummed shortly, moving his fingers on Baekhyun’s entrance, gently smearing the lube over it but without adding not pressing in.  
It was a simple soft brush, no more than a touch.  
Thing that made Baekhyun groan lowly in exasperation.  
“You are taking your time, uh?” he asked him even if he shortly pushed his back against Chanyeol, another clear invitation that, this time, Chanyeol pretended not to notice.  
“Come on, don’t we have time? Why finishing everything too soon?” Chanyeol asked him briefly, using his other hand to squeeze not so gently Baekhyun’s thigh, earning himself another soft groan.  
“W-We do, yeah. But you are starting to tease me now…” Baekhyun breathed in reply, shortly glancing at him and his stare was darker with want.  
Chanyeol pondered shortly about it before leaning down and pressing a short kiss on Baekhyun’s nape.  
“Then let me entertain you a bit more? Maybe, I’m getting boring compared to your past experiences” he stated shortly moving his lips down Baekhyun’s shoulder blades and Baekhyun groaned lowly, shaking his head.  
“Exactly the opposite, Chanyeol” he breathed softly and Chanyeol frowned shortly, but finally deciding to push in the first finger, meeting not much resistance, but easing it immediately with more lube.  
“I-I mean, nobody actually gave me this much attention. Ever” Baekhyun added, voice cracking lowly, soft moan escaping his lips.  
Chanyeol hummed shortly before sucking another hickey under Baekhyun’s shoulder blade before thrusting in also a second finger, feeling Baekhyun arch his back and hosting him better, deeper, making him let out a muffled moan.  
“That’s such a pity, Baekhyun… Your skin is so smooth and pleasant to touch” Chanyeol started saying, lips not leaving Baekhyun’s back while his fingers started a slow pace inside him, testing to know if and when he could insert another one and going slightly deeper inside.  
“No to talk about your scent which his fresh yet sweet” Chanyeol continued, biting Baekhyun’s shoulder, marking it red, and making Baekhyun arch his back again, allowing Chanyeol to thrust deeper inside him.  
Baekhyun pressed again his hand against his mouth, muffling down his voice and Chanyeol thought that it was really a pity not being able to hear that beautiful voice he had.  
“And also your voice. So sensual and low. I would love to hear it more, especially while I’m making you feel good” Chanyeol whispered, moving again his lips on Baekhyun’s nape and softly licking him, moving then on his ear that was soft and red.  
Baekhyun moved his hand to grip on Chanyeol’s hair, pulling him near, lowly groaning at Chanyeol’s ministration inside him.  
“Why are you fixed with it? And with making me feel good? Don’t you want to feel good too?” Baekhyun asked him in a brief whisper and Chanyeol frowned shortly, but then shook his head, biting Baekhyun’s ear before speaking directly in it.  
“You don’t think that I’m feeling good right now? Thinking to all the things I want to do to you, feeling you squeezing my fingers inside yourself and imagining what it will be when I’ll be inside you? This… warmth and wetness” Chanyeol started saying setting a slightly faster pace to his fingers, adding also a third one, making Baekhyun bit his lips to conceive another moan.  
“And your voice is already arousing when it’s normal, I can’t wonder but imagining it moaning my name while I fill you up” Chanyeol continued feeling Baekhyun shiver under him, inhaling deeper and pulling harder on Chanyeol’s hair.  
“Make me feel you more, then. So good that I can’t shut myself up anymore, that I’m not able to do anything but moan your name and ask you more” Baekhyun breathed softly and even if it was a strange request coming from Baekhyun, Chanyeol couldn’t wait for something more.  
He was simply waiting for Baekhyun’s green light.  
“Everything for your pleasure” he replied, thrusting faster his fingers inside Baekhyun, finally reaching his prostate and making him muffle another moan.  
Chanyeol straightened his back, moving the hand that wasn’t fingering him again on Baekhyun’s thigh, gently slapping him, making Baekhyun gasp in surprise, squeezing Chanyeol’s fingers tighter inside himself.  
“Oh, so you like also this” Chanyeol breathed, gripping harder on Baekhyun’s thigh before slapping him again, earning the same result from before.  
“I wonder if I do it while I’m inside you, will you feel it the same?” Chanyeol asked him, caressing Baekhyun’s thigh, pace not slowing down at all and hitting again and again against Baekhyun’s prostate, making Baekhyun arch his back again, pressing his ass against the insertion, almost setting a faster pace than the one Chanyeol was already following.  
“Why don’t you find it out?” Baekhyun asked him, voice unstable, low and clearly losing his focus and usual control.  
“And why you don’t let yourself go another bit? Do you really want me?” Chanyeol asked him lowly, hand caressing up and down his thigh before slapping him again, making Baekhyun arch his back better, welcoming even deeper Chanyeol’s fingers.  
In that moment, Chanyeol thought that heavens’ doors opened.  
Baekhyun moaned, openly, no restriction, no hands to tone it down nor duvet to muffle it in.  
It was a real moan, loud and slightly high-pitched how Chanyeol thought it would be.  
Even though he never expected something that… erotic.  
Well, not that there wasn’t something in Baekhyun that wasn’t erotic, but…  
“C-Chanyeol, please, stop playing around” Baekhyun groaned, voice slightly cracking in the end in another moaned ah please that went directly to Chanyeol’s erection and for an instant Chanyeol felt it again in all its hardness and thickness inside his trousers.  
He was so hard that it almost physically hurt.  
“Tell me what you what, Baekhyun” Chanyeol whispered, leaning down again kissing his nape, fingers not stopping inside him.  
“Fill me up. Your fingers are not enough, I want you inside… Let me feel full again” Baekhyun let out breathy, voice barely able to find its stability again.  
“Let me take a condom” Chanyeol whispered and it was enough also for him, he couldn’t wait anymore.  
All his senses were focus on his own erection pressing hard against his trousers, asking to be freed, to be inside Baekhyun, making him moan again and again, catching both their orgasms and again that pleasant high that Baekhyun’s presence could give him.  
“No, don’t. I don’t mind doing it like this…” Baekhyun breathed, pressing his back again against fingers, keeping up the same pace that Chanyeol was trying to slow down.  
Chanyeol frowned shortly, eyebrow raising briefly in perplexity-  
“Baekhyun, are you sure…? I mean…” he started saying but Baekhyun shook his head.  
“Do you want me to plead for it? Or you will simply give it to me?” Baekhyun asked him immediately, and his tone was slightly colder than before, even though still uneven due to Chanyeol’s continuous ministrations inside him.  
“No, it’s just…” Chanyeol tried but Baekhyun groaned lowly, moving shortly up from where he was on the mattress and glancing shortly at Chanyeol, inhaling deeply before speaking up.  
“Officer, please, take me… I can’t wait anymore. I want to feel you coming inside me” Baekhyun let out softly, voice way lower than before, almost a purr, that went directly to Chanyeol’s erection again, thickening it up.  
Chanyeol groaned lowly, taking off his fingers from Baekhyun and opening his own trousers, pulling down his boxer and revealing his full erected shaft.  
“How come we are back to honorifics this time?” Chanyeol groaned lowly, hands gripping harder on Baekhyun’s buttocks, spreading them wider and brushing his own erection against Baekhyun’s entrance but without thrusting it in.  
“Don’t you have some kink about it? Like a daddy kink but based on your status?” Baekhyun asked him, biting shortly his lips and glancing again at him, making Chanyeol frown before he could let out a soft chuckle, shaking his head.  
“You always had this idea of me since the very start, but I’m not…” he started saying but Baekhyun shook his head briefly, biting again his lips, stare not leaving him.  
“Then maybe a nickname?” he retorted softly and Chanyeol huffed briefly, shaking his head, starting to thrust inside Baekhyun, slowly testing the resistance even though he found way less than expected.  
Baekhyun hid a low groan, hands gripping harder on the duvet under him.  
“Let’s not think about it now” Chanyeol whispered feeling Baekhyun starting to squeeze him inside himself, wanting Chanyeol’s whole erection inside and not as slowly as Chanyeol was going.  
“No, Chanyeollie?” Baekhyun asked him in a breath, and Chanyeol felt his erection twitch inside Baekhyun at the only sound of that nickname so cute and yet so intimate.  
Chanyeol growled lowly, leaning down and biting Baekhyun’s neck, bottoming up inside Baekhyun, making him arch his back, accepting every single inch of Chanyeol.  
“Fucking finally” Baekhyun breathed and the tone was impossibly low, hand going to Chanyeol’s hair and pulling shortly, making Chanyeol bit him harder on his nape and ear.  
“You are so fucking tight, Baekhyun” Chanyeol breathed against his ear, making him shiver, briefly closing his eyes trying to refocus and not to lose in everything he was feeling in that moment.  
It was the perfect heaven inside him.  
Tight and hot, squeezing pleasantly Chanyeol’s erection, adapting oh so good to the insertion.  
“So…” Baekhyun breathed while Chanyeol started a soft pace inside him, way too leisure and to slow to be even considered a real pace.  
“It seems that you have a soft spot for Chanyeollie, you like it? Is it okay for me to call you this?” Baekhyun briefly asked him and Chanyeol bit him again on his nape, hands gripping harder on his hips before one of them could move along the profile of Baekhyun’s thigh, finally slapping his buttock, making him clench around Chanyeol’s erection, letting out a soft gasp mixed to a low moan.  
“And you like this apparently. So what do we do? Can I finally fuck you like this, but I can’t grant you that tomorrow you will be able to sit properly” Chanyeol retorted shortly, earning himself a low fuck as reply.  
“Come again?” Chanyeol asked him, starting a bit faster pace and slapping his ass again, making Baekhyun swear louder this time.  
“I said, fuck me Chanyeollie” he repeated groaning and Chanyeol bit his lips shortly at the nickname and, what the fuck, it was true that no one ever called him Chanyeollie probably neither his grandma, but why it had such a nice effect on him?  
Especially coming from Baekhyun’s lips and with that low tone, sweetly escaping from his lips between moans and groans.  
“It will be my pleasure” Chanyeol whispered back, starting a faster pace, this time forgetting about anything else, simply thrusting inside Baekhyun, picking up the right angle and looking for Baekhyun’s prostate.  
Baekhyun moaned softly, trying to muffle it, but without much success, especially because Chanyeol slapped his thigh again, making him squeeze Chanyeol harder inside himself.  
The room was filled only by Chanyeol’s low groan, the squelching sound of his thrust inside Baekhyun, Baekhyun’s half-moans and sometime of the short slap sound of Chanyeol’s hand on Baekhyun’s skin.  
“You are so fucking perfect, taking me this well” Chanyeol whispered leaning down and biting Baekhyun’s ear, making him whimper softly at the sudden proximity and change of angle, that went directly to his prostate.  
Chanyeol could feel it, more than hear it, but he knew that it was there.  
“Oh, you like it here?” Chanyeol asked softly, voice brushing against Baekhyun’s ear, making him nod and grip harder on the duvet under them.  
“Yeah, there. Take me harder, wreck me” Baekhyun let out, throwing his head back, matching Chanyeol’s pace inside him and finally starting to lose it a bit, moans leaving his lips unevenly but with slightly more strength and volume than before.  
Chanyeol felt like he was about to explode because it was already too much, and he simply wanted to cum, making Baekhyun moaning his name, coming on his blankets.  
Because Baekhyun was perfection under him, so sweaty and glowing under the lights of the rooms, his skin tone almost looking golden due to those lights and his voice being so low and pleasant to Chanyeol’s ears.  
Obviously not speaking about how good it felt Baekhyun’s skin under Chanyeol’s hand every time he slapped him softly, hearing that short smack and feeling Baekhyun clenching harder and harder on Chanyeol’s erection, making him shiver and quiver in pleasure, wanting more and more and more…  
Chanyeol was loving every single instant and, despite he felt his orgasm drawing nearer and nearer he wanted it to last forever.  
He thrusted slightly harder against Baekhyun’s prostate, timing it with a slap on his thigh, feeling Baekhyun’s coming hard, pulling at his hair, moaning his name so deep and pleasantly that Chanyeol thought he could come only for that.  
Instead he thrusted again, gripping harder on Baekhyun’s thigh, chasing his own orgasm that didn’t actually need any help in arriving, but Baekhyun provided it nevertheless making it a real explosion.  
It took only Baekhyun’s low voice moaning a way too erotic I want you to fill me up, Yeollie and, with a strangled sound that was similar to a moan, Chanyeol was coming hard and quick inside Baekhyun, panting like he just ran for kilometers, thrusting inside him for all his orgasm, unloading everything inside him and enjoying his come all the way until the end, slowing down gently until he came to a complete halt.  
He felt spent, lights still flashing behind his eyes, breath coming shorter and he never felt that good neither the previous time he had sex with Baekhyun, which was unmistakably way better of all the others he had before.  
Chanyeol leant down shortly, trying not to move inside Baekhyun, kissing his shoulder, sweetly, gently.  
“You okay?” Chanyeol asked him, fingers gently caressing his sides and reaching to his thighs that were glowing red and, nope, Baekhyun wouldn’t be able to sit properly the following day.  
Baekhyun let out a soft chuckle, nodding briefly even though his voice, when he spoke up, it was a bit scratchy.  
“Probably never been better and this fucked in my life. It was… so satisfying” Baekhyun let out nodding, making Chanyeol chuckle softly, kissing again his shoulder, this time near where the Paradise Bird was.  
“May I help you clean up?” Chanyeol whispered, gently caressing Baekhyun’s hips, but not hinting to exit from Baekhyun.  
He knew that in the very same instant he would do it that magical moment would end and Baekhyun would be simply their external consultant again, fretting on going away and totally unwilling to remain for some after sex cuddles.  
“Usually I do it myself, if I can borrow your shower” Baekhyun let out and Chanyeol hummed shortly, knowing that the limit was traced again, setting them apart despite whatever just happened.  
It’s just sex, what you expect – Chanyeol thought inside himself and despite he knew that it was indeed only sex, it was… unpleasant.  
Stirring an unsettling feeling inside himself that pissed off Chanyeol.  
He knew perfectly what it was, but it was easier to pretend it wasn’t there in the very first place.  
“Yeah, sure. You know where it is?” Chanyeol retorted, exiting from Baekhyun making him slightly hiss at the gesture, and seeing a bit of his own cum gliding down Baekhyun’s reddened thighs.  
Chanyeol almost felt angry with himself.  
For slapping Baekhyun so much that his thighs were red, for coming inside him without condom and for having those fucking feelings for that fucking smartass antiquities seller and… beautiful human being that Baekhyun revealed himself to be.  
He knew that Baekhyun was the first one to ask him those first two things, but still Chanyeol was a bit sorry about those.  
Baekhyun sat up, picking up his jeans and boxer too.  
“Be right back” he breathed disappearing in Chanyeol’s bathroom and showing up no more than ten minutes later, looking like nothing happened if not for a soft rose shade on his cheeks.  
“I think I forgot my sweater around here” Baekhyun stated, looking around the room and Chanyeol nodded picking it up from the desk where it ended up and giving it to him.  
There was another short silence during which Baekhyun put the sweater on and fixed shortly his hair.  
“I think it’s better if I go now” Baekhyun added, shortly glancing toward Chanyeol, small smile appearing on his lips and… was it apologetic or it was just Chanyeol’s sensation?  
“If you give me two minutes, I can drive you home” Chanyeol proposed him but Baekhyun was already shaking his head, smile not leaving his lips.  
“You don’t need too. Metros are going later tonight since it’s the last day of the year” he whispered and Chanyeol nodded briefly even though there was a weird weight on his heart.  
“Fine then, be careful on your way home and, uhm, see you tomorrow?” Chanyeol asked him and Baekhyun softly nodded, smiling shortly back at him again.  
“Go and enjoy a shower. I know my way out” Baekhyun concluded, waiving at him and going away, like that without giving Chanyeol the time to even process what was happening.  
And whatever that was, how long Chanyeol could it go on in that limbo of not knowing if that attraction that he had for Baekhyun was due to his feelings or if the thing was exactly the opposite and the feelings that he had was only due to his attraction toward Baekhyun.  
That wasn’t the only problem, though, since Baekhyun clearly was attracted to him, but it wasn’t something at emotional level, only physical.  
And all those things that Baekhyun told Chanyeol before they had sex, how Chanyeol was supposed to process them?  
Baekhyun would really go and meet Nam alone?  
And when did he plan on telling it to Yixing?  
Would they be able to protect Baekhyun being him a civilian in all that story?  
Chanyeol inhaled deeper before swearing shortly and taking a quick shower.  
Coming back to the bedroom he realized that it smelt too much of Baekhyun and sex and… he didn’t have the strength to deal with that that night, so he ended up sleeping on the couch.  
Again.

For eight fucking days, Chanyeol didn’t see nor hear Baekhyun.  
Nobody knew where he was.  
Jondae was worried sick and probably, if he wasn’t such a healthy freak, he would have started smoking too.  
Chanyeol swore way more than usual, which was an awesome progress since the already huge amount of swears that left his lips usually.  
And Yixing was… totally clueless.  
He didn’t know where Baekhyun could be, if he spoke with someone before or after the short discussion they had over the phone the first of January in which Baekhyun told him that he was settling everything down.  
Chanyeol had the very worst sensation in the world, unable to understand why Baekhyun wasn’t contacting them, neither Jondae or Jae, who was equally scared and worried, to tell them that he was fine.  
Did that mean that he… wasn’t?  
And if yes, who took him or harmed him?  
Was he still alive?  
Chanyeol couldn’t stop thinking about those people that followed them that night so many weeks before.  
Strangely enough, there was no new cases of Thunder thief, which made Chanyeol think even more.  
Did that mean that Baekhyun went to meet Nam?  
Or that Thunder thief found and imprisoned Fearless Light?  
Chanyeol started distinguishing them like that in his head.  
And then, one day, on the eighth of January, Baekhyun reappeared in the police station, without no apparent explanation but a dark circle below his left eye, that to Chanyeol was what it was left of a really well thrown punch.  
Baekhyun was quieter.  
When Jondae asked him what happened, Baekhyun simply replied that he had familiar problems, which meant… nothing.  
Especially since he didn’t see his family since years now, so…  
Baekhyun was also only mildly surprised in knowing that there weren’t any new cases during his absence, unable to hide his not surprise.  
Chanyeol simply observed him, at start, when the others were around, but at lunch, he called him to stay in a while more before going out and smoke.  
Baekhyun nodded, but keep his stare away from Chanyeol, sitting at Jondae’s desk and playing with his lighter.  
“What happened in this week?” Chanyeol asked him briefly, trying to understand what was wrong and what Baekhyun was hiding.  
Baekhyun shrugged his shoulders.  
“I needed to retrieve something from home so I met Bom’s parents. They weren’t so happy to see me nor to know that I was going to pick something that I forgot there” Baekhyun whispered shortly and Chanyeol frowned deeply, shaking his head.  
“It’s… decades already that you are not living there anymore. How come you needed to go now?” he asked again earning himself a glare from Baekhyun.  
“It’s personal. No need to know about all my things, Chanyeol. I have a private life too, if I don’t mistake” Baekhyun replied immediately but it was unmistakably on the defensive, making Chanyeol frown.  
“What the fuck, Baekhyun? You disappeared on us for eight days, no sign if you were alive or no and now you reappear out of nothing saying that you went to your parents’ just to retrieve a thing?” Chanyeol asked him, irritated and damn if it was fishy!  
Chanyeol wasn’t only worried but also suspicious because he was sure that that wasn’t the truth.  
Baekhyun sat up from the chair, pushing the lighter in his pocket and closing the distance between him and Chanyeol who was leaning on his own desk.  
“What the fuck do you want for me, Chanyeol? I’m not… compelled to come here every day and babysit you because you can’t do your job properly, ya know? And if I went there, I had my reasons, which I’m not willing to share with you, so cut the crap” Baekhyun retorted, slightly raising his voice and no, definitely something happened.  
On Baekhyun’s neck there were some red signs too and the same went for his wrists.  
Chanyeol instead of exploding like he would always do, he took a deep breath before taking Baekhyun’s wrist in his hand and slightly pulled, nearing Baekhyun even more to him.  
Baekhyun was startled and couldn’t hide a short, pained hiss.  
“I was worried for you, idiot. And you taught me to observe. And simply looking at you I can say that you are telling me a shit-ton of lies. So… can you kindly explain me, these” he started asking, fingers moving under the cuff of his hoodie, showing the red signs that were clearly of a binding, “and whatever happened to your eyes?” he concluded, fingers gently going to move a strand lock of hair from Baekhyun’s forehead.  
Baekhyun’s eyes went wider in perplexity and Chanyeol could see more or less the world passing through them.  
“Tonight. Come by my house and I’ll tell you what happened. And what I discovered about Nam. Here’s dangerous” he whispered and his tone was low to be almost difficult to hear and… scared?  
Chanyeol never saw Baekhyun afraid of something, but there was indeed something that was plaguing him, more than Nam and his parents and whatever other lies he could come up with.  
“Why not coming to mine again? It’s closer and…” Chanyeol started saying but Baekhyun shook his head shortly, interrupting him.  
“Please. If you want to know, just don’t make too many questions” Baekhyun retorted and he was about to say something more, but Jondae opened the door and Baekhyun walked away immediately from Chanyeol, shortly smiling toward Jondae before leaving the office, probably to go and smoke.  
Jondae frowned shortly, stare moving between Chanyeol and where Baekhyun just went out.  
“Did I… interrupt something?” Jondae asked him frowning but Chanyeol shook his head, smiling briefly at him.  
“No worries. Let’s just focus on our task, ‘kay?” he concluded moving to his own desk and starting back again to work.  
Because despite Thunder thief didn’t do anything strange those days, life still went on and things happened, including other cases.  
And the work went on also in the afternoon, even though the most surprising happening was seeing Baekhyun avoiding Yixing even when he came directly in their office to ask to Chanyeol and Baekhyun to go to his office as before.  
Chanyeol didn’t have anything contrary but when he saw Baekhyun shook his head, he slightly opposed too.  
“We are catching up with things here, Zhang. There’s no more time and… well, aren’t higher ranks pressing you up for replies?” Chanyeol asked him, shrugging his shoulders and Yixing, after looking at them surprised and a bit pissed off, he went away without adding a word more.  
And at almost eight, when everybody else went home, Chanyeol proposed Baekhyun a lift until his home, having great care of avoiding Yixing also on their way to the parking place.  
The drive there was… silent.  
Baekhyun had his head leant against the window and didn’t say anything, stare lost outside.  
Even when they arrived, Baekhyun made his way up to his apartment in silence and Chanyeol couldn’t fail to notice that he was almost limping, most probably something on his ankle.  
Baekhyun’s apartment was… dark.  
Even when Baekhyun turned on the lights, all the windows and curtains were closed, making the ambient even more suffocating.  
“Are you, uhm, hungry? We can call for a delivery, if you want. I don’t think there’s much in the fridge” Baekhyun started saying going toward the kitchen and like he wasn’t talking about his own house but someone else’s.  
“Let’s think about that later, won’t we?” Chanyeol retorted shortly, not much patience on his side either, but Baekhyun shrugged his shoulders, picking up a small pizza pamphlet.  
“Choose one and call” he stated and more than a request, it clearly was an order, making Chanyeol’s frown.  
“I’m not hungry and… do you have a phone at home?” Chanyeol asked him briefly, stare moving around the house, but spotting nothing.  
“Order. Later we will be, hopefully. Otherwise I’ll eat it for breakfast tomorrow morning. And I don’t have any phone. I even lost mine” Baekhyun whispered in reply, fingers carding through his hair and… how tired was he?  
There was something in Baekhyun’s behavior, in his voice, in his way of moving restless around his own house that worried Chanyeol.  
“You lost yours?” Chanyeol echoed and Baekhyun shortly scratched his neck, nodding briefly.  
“It’s not like I didn’t want to write you guys. I lost my phone” he whispered, making Chanyeol inhale deeply closing that distance that still was between them.  
“Baekhyun…” he started saying and this time he really wanted an explanation because he wouldn’t accept any more lies or half truths from him, but Baekhyun shook his head briefly.  
“Order a pizza with me and let’s talk over it. It seems days that I’m not eating” Baekhyun stopped him, gesturing again toward the small paper.  
Chanyeol pressed his lips in a thin line before nodding.  
“Which one do you want?” Chanyeol asked him, making Baekhyun frown shortly before he could shrug his shoulders.  
“Pepperoni will be fine” he replied, opening the fridge and picking up two beers from it.  
Chanyeol nodded, dialing the pizza place number and holding the line.  
“Seoul Homemade pizza, how can I help you?” an overjoyed female voice asked over the phone.  
“I want to order two pizza, is it possible?” Chanyeol asked her, looking at Baekhyun opening again the bottles with the back of his lighter and wondering again how it was possible such a trick.  
Not that he should still be perplexed by Baekhyun’s abilities, seeing that he was a fucking thief even though sometimes Chanyeol kind of forgot it.  
“Sure, sir. Which ones?” she asked back and Chanyeol hummed shortly, eye quickly browsing through the various options in the paper sheet.  
“A pepperoni one and a, uhm, Hawaiian” he replied, earning himself a disgusted stare from Baekhyun and hiding a short chuckle.  
“Perfect, we will be there in twenty minutes, sir” she stated, confirming with him again the address.  
And when Chanyeol closed the call, Baekhyun snorted shortly, shaking his head.  
“For real, Chanyeol? Hawaiian?” he asked him, unbelieving and Chanyeol chuckled briefly, nodding.  
“Oh come on, you said order and I did, where’s the problem?” Chanyeol retorted immediately, earning another disgusted stare.  
“That you took the worst pizza ever? Is that even pizza?” he asked back but Chanyeol shrugged his shoulders, picking up the beer bottle from the table and drinking directly from it, without pouring in the glass.  
“Let’s go back to the real matter or…?” Chanyeol asked him and Baekhyun sighed deeply, picking up the bottle and drinking from it too.  
It was nice how Baekhyun’s lips leant on the bottle and Chanyeol couldn’t do anything but stare.  
“I went to meet Bom’s parents for real. It was because there’s something that I needed to retrieve. I hid it in the garden of our house when I was seventeen and knew that one day it will come in use” Baekhyun stated briefly and Chanyeol frowned sitting at the table and Baekhyun sat in front of him.  
“What was it?” Chanyeol asked him, curiosity getting the best of him.  
Because what in the world could make Baekhyun of all the people go and see his parents just to retrieve something he hid in their garden almost twenty years before?  
Baekhyun carded again his fingers through his hair before moving his hand behind his back and taking out a… gun.  
Small, a Beretta from how Chanyeol could see and judging on what he knew of semi-automatic guns.  
“Why you had a gun? And why you felt like it was now the right moment to unearth it, because I bet you dig a fucking hole in your garden to hide that and not in a box in the tree house” Chanyeol asked him, now even more worried by the sudden revelation.  
Baekhyun softly bit his lips, stare moving away briefly before he could sip again from the bottle.  
“I bought it when I was younger to… protect myself from things happening in my life. Things I couldn’t explain to my brother and I didn’t want him to know. And I know that it’s not registered so if ever they would find it, it would never lead back to me. It would be my word against Bom’s father or mother’s” Baekhyun started explaining, putting away the gun again and Chanyeol nodded shortly, even though he started asking himself what Baekhyun saw during his teenage years.  
How dangerous was the panorama he came to live in?  
And from who was he trying to protect himself?  
“And now you went to retrieve it because…?” Chanyeol asked him again and Baekhyun inhaled deeply, biting harder on his bottom lip.  
“I… think that there’s someone who want to kill me, Chanyeol” he stated and his tone was hard and serious, making Chanyeol frown deeply but not for even a second doubting of his words.  
“You have some hints on who? Are those men from before?” Chanyeol inquired, clicking his tongue and Baekhyun hinted a short nod with his head.  
“I went to speak with Nam and despite I can’t prove it, I know that he’s behind all of this. But he’s just an asshole with his back well covered from someone else. Someone… way more powerful than a nice banker or a good businessman” Baekhyun hummed in reply and Chanyeol’s eyes went wider in perplexity, finally getting where Baekhyun wanted to bring him.  
“You mean… in police?” he whispered, frowning and worrying way more than before, because if Baekhyun was really right, which was more than probable, they couldn’t trust anyone inside police, starting from Yixing himself.  
Baekhyun nodded briefly and he was about to reply when the doorbell made him jolt in surprise.  
Chanyeol sat up and went to retrieve and pay their order, coming back in the kitchen with the pizza.  
“Sorry for making you pay. I’ll give you half, later” Baekhyun whispered, but Chanyeol was already shrugging his shoulders.  
“Continue talking. You don’t need to pay me back for this much” Chanyeol stated giving him the right pizza and then sitting down again and starting to eat too.  
Baekhyun frowned again at the pineapple and ham topping but then shook his head and focused back on the whole police matter.  
“There are things that are still not properly matching so I haven’t spoken about this with anybody yet, but I think that those men that followed us that night and that keep following me in these days are not only Nam’s friends. There are more and different” Baekhyun stated, cutting the pizza and eating a slice.  
“And you know because?” Chanyeol asked him, imitating his gesture and Baekhyun forced a short chuckle.  
“You saw them, no? I wasn’t on holidays this past week” he breathed and his stare went away again, moving on the pizza and staying there.  
“Want to talk about it?” Chanyeol tried briefly, still not knowing how and how much he could ask to Baekhyun.  
Baekhyun inhaled deeply, finishing his slice of pizza before nodding shortly, cleaning his hands on a napkin.  
“I talked with Nam, as I told you. The meeting went fine. He remembered about me, but it was a formal meeting, no accusation only a lot of pretend-game, hypothetically speaking and what ifs. However, when I went away from his office, almost when I got to my shop, I was neared by a man in his fifty more or less who wanted to talk with me. And it was a really nice talk, especially because he forced me to go with him and it wasn’t exactly on my own will?” Baekhyun continued making Chanyeol frown again, finishing also that slice, meaning that he ate almost three fourth of the whole.  
“Can you identify him in a confront?” Chanyeol asked him and Baekhyun nodded briefly, no indecision in his gesture, but not that Chanyeol actually would expect it.  
They were talking about Baekhyun after all.  
The most observant person that Chanyeol knew in his life.  
“And you said… police, right? What make you think so? And it’s someone we know or…?” Chanyeol asked him but Baekhyun shook briefly his head, pinching his lips before starting to eat again.  
“I don’t know. That’s the problem. I don’t have any suspect inside police” he hummed briefly and all of a sudden Chanyeol remembered about that result that showed up after Baekhyun’s research while he was sleeping few nights before Christmas.  
“And what about detective Kang Woonho?” Chanyeol asked him shortly, frowning and that was one of the many questions that he never managed to ask to Baekhyun and still plagued him.  
Baekhyun though, frowned deeply, not knowing what Chanyeol was talking about.  
“Who the hell is Kang Woonho?” he retorted, frown getting deeper and Chanyeol pressed his lips in a thin line.  
There was a dark shadow in Baekhyun’s eyes at the mention of that name even though Chanyeol couldn’t understand properly why.  
“I… Uhm, that night that I drove you to attend your Christmas party at the orphanage and that you fell asleep in the office, there was this name as result flashing on the screen” Chanyeol finally stated and Baekhyun frowned even deeper.  
“What was I looking for? And a detective… like my brother?” Baekhyun asked him, frown not leaving his face and restarting to eat his pizza, making Chanyeol frown too.  
“If you don’t know… But he’s pretty famous in police. And had a lot of recognition for his flawless work in these past almost thirty years” Chanyeol explained and Baekhyun hummed, marveled by such an achievement but still didn’t add anything.  
And to Chanyeol it seemed strange that Baekhyun didn’t remember what he was looking for, but he clearly didn’t know who Woonho was.  
“So…” Chanyeol started saying finishing all his pizza and looking at Baekhyun that was barely on the first half.  
“What do you plan to do know?” Chanyeol asked him and Baekhyun munched slowly on the slice before replying.  
“Sending a challenge card under the name of Fearless Light” he stated like it was the most obvious thing ever.  
People were trying to kill him, so obviously he wanted to challenge them.  
Obviously, right.  
Chanyeol wanted to slap him so bad, trying to make him reason but he knew that there wasn’t any way.  
“And stating what precisely?” Chanyeol asked him, trying to understand what was better to do to help and prevent Baekhyun to do any idiocy.  
“You are a faker and I’m the real one, come and show me that your abilities are better than mine. I’ll steal the treasure of King Sejong on this date at this hour” Baekhyun replied, describing precisely the content of the challenge card he wanted to send but Chanyeol was already shaking his head.  
“It’s too risky, Baekhyun” he stated, decided and unmoving but Baekhyun chuckled softly, shaking his head too.  
“I’m not… asking your permission, Chanyeol. I’m telling you what I’ll do in the next days, after speaking about this with Xing, obviously, since he wants to know almost everything I do. And this time no one can keep me from going to jail if I send a challenge card as Fearless Light without telling it to Xing” Baekhyun retorted, chuckling softly and finishing his own pizza and the bottle of beer too.  
His cheeks were slightly rosier than before and, yeah, he definitely looked healthier than before.  
However, Chanyeol was worried.  
“No ways I can make you change your mind? There has to be another way” Chanyeol whispered softly, making Baekhyun smile at him sweetly.  
Chanyeol was struck by the cuteness of Baekhyun’s smile.  
It was almost fond even though it didn’t make any sense.  
“You don’t have to worry about me, Chanyeol. I will be fine. And for sure there are other ways, but it’s time to stop this farce once for all and not only because higher ranks are pressing on Xing. But because I’m tired of seeing people dying by this psychopath who pretends to be me” Baekhyun replied shortly, messing his own hair before sitting up and nearing Chanyeol who was still sitting.  
Chanyeol frowned even deeper, stare moving on Baekhyun and he wanted to share again his perplexity and his concerns, when Baekhyun slightly pressed his fingers on Chanyeol’s lips, shutting him up.  
“And I’m a bit tired for tonight. I appreciated your company, but you only have two possibilities right now” Baekhyun started saying, making Chanyeol frown even deeper, feeling a bit like a dejà-vu, but Baekhyun was already speaking up again.  
“Or you leave me sleeping at least for few hours so that I can be a slightly better human tomorrow” he continued, moving his fingers from Chanyeol’s lips to his cheek and then down the profile of his neck.  
“Or you stay but simply to spend some quality time together. I don’t want to hear talking about thefts, Fearless Light, Xing or whatever else involved in this case. Only one word on it and you are out” Baekhyun stated briefly, soft smile appearing on his lips and Chanyeol once again found him exceptionally enthralling.  
“Quality time?” he echoed and Baekhyun chuckled softly, caressing Chanyeol’s neck, making him feel a strange lump on his throat, realizing that he wanted that contact more than he cared to admit.  
“Yeah… But I want to take care of you tonight, not like the other two times” Baekhyun whispered, shortly leaning down, lips nearing dangerously Chanyeol’s but without closing that small short distance that still remained between them.  
“W-What exactly do you mean?” Chanyeol asked back, voice softly wavering at the idea that Baekhyun wanted to take the lead.  
And it was on a power bottom way or he meant other things since Baekhyun once mentioned being fine with being the giving end too?  
“I know you are interested too, so… Let me take the lead. I’ll make you feel like you never felt before” Baekhyun whispered and his tone was so low and so enthralling that Chanyeol didn’t even think about refusing.  
He simply nodded, making Baekhyun smile softly before he could take Chanyeol’s hands and accompany him to Baekhyun’s small bedroom.  
And like the whole rest of the apartment it was small, but with a nice bed with those nice headboards all decorated and Chanyeol found it strange, seeing the almost total lack of style in the other furniture.  
The room had Baekhyun’s same scent, a concentrate of Baekhyun’s cologne and whatever he used as fabric softener.  
Baekhyun gently left Chanyeol’s hands, just to switch the lights near the bed on.  
“You mentioned that you bottomed, right?” Baekhyun asked him, fingers moving on his own hoodie, pulling it away and remaining only with a black t-shirt over his jeans and throwing it on the chair near the small desk.  
Chanyeol hummed shortly, pressing his lips in a thin line, pulling at his own necktie, taking it off and removing his own suit jacket.  
“Was it… recently?” Baekhyun asked him, nearing again Chanyeol, fingers moving again on Chanyeol’s neck, caressing it gently and closing their distance even more.  
“It was… yeah, a while. My former partner liked to switch and sometimes I kinda enjoyed?” Chanyeol tried, making Baekhyun frown before he could chuckle softly, leaning his head on the side, looking playfully at Chanyeol.  
“You kinda enjoyed it? Maybe he wasn’t that good? And how many years are we speaking about?” Baekhyun whispered, fingers moving to Chanyeol’s shirt and starting to unbutton it.  
Chanyeol’s hands moved on Baekhyun’s sides, pulling him near himself and leaning in pressing his lips on Baekhyun’s ears, teeth shortly grazing on it.  
“Yeah, he was, uhm, okay. I did it because it seemed right not because I was particularly fan of it. And… six years ago, more or less?” Chanyeol whispered, breath softly caressing Baekhyun’s ear, making him chuckle again and shaking his head.  
“What the…? It almost like another life” Baekhyun breathed, finally pulling open Chanyeol’s shirt and Chanyeol shrugged his shoulders, making it fall down behind him.  
And even before he could comment it, Baekhyun’s fingers reached Chanyeol’s nipples, pinching them softly, and Chanyeol bit his lips, gripping harder on Baekhyun’s sides.  
“He definitely did a bad job if you didn’t like it that much to ask for it, but simply passively experienced it” Baekhyun whispered, lips moving again on Chanyeol’s neck, making him groan lowly, biting Baekhyun’s ear.  
“He, ah, was particular” Chanyeol tried to say but Baekhyun’s fingers flicked his nipple, making him groan again, this time a bit louder.  
Baekhyun was… perfect.  
Totally open against Chanyeol and the way he was touching Chanyeol, made Chanyeol want to lose himself in his touches, his scent and his taste.  
How his fingers and lips moved on his chest and neck and even while doing way less than foreplays, he still enthralled Chanyeol way too much.  
“Well, it’s not like I want to know about your exes, Chanyeol. Let me rewrite your experience and make consider it from another point of view” Baekhyun whispered softly, pressing a gentle kiss on Chanyeol’s neck, before pressing Chanyeol gently toward the bed, making him sit down.  
Chanyeol stared at him from there, wondering what Baekhyun was thinking for that night.  
But he felt… different.  
There was something in Baekhyun’s smiles and how he moved his fingers on Chanyeol’s body that Chanyeol felt different.  
It was… gentle.  
Soft.  
Almost lovely.  
There was a warmth in how Baekhyun was touching him, that made him feel… good already.  
Baekhyun pressed his lips on Chanyeol’s forehead before kneeling down in front of Chanyeol, hands moving on his thigh and spreading them wider.  
“Want to start from here than or you prefer to lay down?” Baekhyun asked him and Chanyeol bit his lips shortly, shaking his head.  
“Maybe it’s better to lay down already? If that’s okay for you?” Chanyeol proposed back, fingers gently carding through Baekhyun’s hair and Baekhyun looked at him, nodding shortly.  
“Sure, want to take off your trousers before laying down?” Baekhyun asked him, sitting up again and pulling Chanyeol up with him.  
Chanyeol took them off, making them fall on the ground and moving on the bed, leaning against the headboard, making Baekhyun smile shortly at him.  
“Find your most comfortable position” Baekhyun breathed, smile not faltering on his lips, but shifting shortly to a smirk, when he moved to pick up something from the floor.  
Shiny, metal-made, and… it was a silent promise since the previous time.  
“I bet you have the key for these” Baekhyun whispered, turning the handcuffs on his fingers, kneeling on the bed and nearing Chanyeol who nodded, gulping down biting again his lips.  
Baekhyun neared him again and inside Chanyeol there were hundreds different feelings swirling and making him feel hot and bothered.  
He never used his handcuffs for that neither with his previous partner, not by playing not seriously.  
It was unsettling bothering and made him feel hot and wanting.  
He didn’t know what Baekhyun was about to do, but he was oh so willing to know what it was.  
“May I or will you scold me later, officer?” Baekhyun asked him, clicking them open and Chanyeol bit his lips again, nodding shortly, letting Baekhyun take his wrist between his hands.  
“Especially since I have this nice headboard, right?” Baekhyun chuckled softly, nodding toward said furniture, making Chanyeol shortly glance toward it.  
“It’s not a case that it’s like that?” Chanyeol asked him and Baekhyun snorted, shaking his head, clicking the handcuff on the headboard, making Chanyeol frown shortly.  
He wasn’t used to have his hands blocked in a place and unable to use them.  
“You should know by now that I’m strange in this, no?” Baekhyun retorted and Chanyeol was about to reply something when Baekhyun gently pressed his fingers on Chanyeol’s lips.  
“Whatever it may happen, talk to me. You don’t like it or I’m hurting you in any way, tell me. I don’t know about your former partner or how you let other fuck you, but I want to know what you’re thinking, both if you want more or if you have enough or these,” he breathed touching the handcuffs, “are hurting you” Baekhyun explained softly, kneeling between Chanyeol’s spread legs, stare not leaving his.  
And even though his tone was soft, it was also low and deep, clearly serious and decided on whatever it was happening.  
“I will let you know” Chanyeol breathed in reply and Baekhyun hummed, nodding shortly and moving his own hands on Chanyeol’s thigh, caressing them, gently only with the tip of his fingers, making Chanyeol’s skin explode in goosebumps.  
It wasn’t good, it was only the start and Chanyeol already wanted to touch Baekhyun so bad despite he couldn’t move his hands.  
“Your skin has such a pleasant carnation, so fit and toned… I wanted to touch it so bad even the previous time. You are such a wonder…” Baekhyun whispered, fingers reaching his groin area but without entering it.  
And even before Chanyeol could speak up, Baekhyun shortly leant down, whispering in his ears.  
“Who knew that you could be also this soft” Baekhyun breathed slightly biting his ear and making Chanyeol groan lowly, biting his lips.  
Baekhyun was so perfect, near him, warm and nice scented, lips always so smooth and inviting.  
Chanyeol could simply watch him all day long without realizing how the hours went by.  
Baekhyun’s fingers moved on Chanyeol’s hips, gently caressing the waistband of his boxer, while his lips moved on Chanyeol’s neck, teeth grazing it before he could start leaving some hickeys, making Chanyeol writhe beneath him, pleasure quickly taking over.  
Baekhyun’s lips were such a blessing on his body, especially when Baekhyun closed them around Chanyeol’s nipples, gently sucking and biting them, making Chanyeol moan deeply and how much he wanted to pull Baekhyun’s hair, pulling him near, kiss him senseless…  
Baekhyun was silent, smartass-self leaving his place to a more dedicate and caring one, making Chanyeol feel… cherished.  
Once, half-joking Baekhyun told him that he never gave his one-night stands his number because they all tried to go back and have relationships with him, probably due to that soft and caring side that Baekhyun showed while he topped compared to his shameless behavior while he bottomed.  
Things he always refused, reason why he was still happy and single.  
And despite the behavior being different with Chanyeol, since the thing started to repeat itself, Chanyeol never had enough courage to ask to Baekhyun why was that.  
What if Baekhyun decided to stop having that soft preference for Chanyeol?  
Chanyeol couldn’t risk it.  
Even though Chanyeol suspected it was a reflection of all the things happened to him in the past.  
And Baekhyun even though he was a needy bottom, was a caring and doting top.  
“Baekhyun, don’t take it so slow” Chanyeol groaned lowly, biting again his lips when Baekhyun sucked again on his nipple, teeth grazing again on it and sending hot shivers down Chanyeol’s spine, easily reaching his erection, already half-hard despite the fact that Baekhyun hadn’t touched him yet, fingers still playing on his thighs and near his waistband.  
Baekhyun chuckled softly against the wetness on his chest, shortly glancing toward Chanyeol.  
And it wasn’t only a glance.  
There was so much more in a single stare, deep and blown, interested in Chanyeol’s body and how he was moving and reacting, wanting as Chanyeol was.  
“Why? Don’t you like it? I’m enjoying it oh so much and you are so warm and I want to touch you so much…” Baekhyun let out, biting his own lips and even before Chanyeol could add something, Baekhyun gently moved his fingers on Chanyeol’s boxer waistband, pulling it down and revealing Chanyeol’s half-hard erection.  
Chanyeol bit his own lips too, feeling the warmth raising up to his cheeks at this own hardness, since Baekhyun wasn’t exactly doing something extraordinary to make him feel aroused and yet he was already that hard.  
“N-No, I…” Chanyeol started saying even though he didn’t have exactly the right words ready.  
Baekhyun though, instead of pulling out one of his smartass replies, smiled softly, fingers gently brushing against Chanyeol’s erection making it twitch visibly.  
“Relax. Aren’t we here to enjoy it? You said it last time too, must be pleasant for both, not only for me. And if you want to move to something more fun, let’s do it. I have plenty of ideas” Baekhyun whispered, smile not leaving his lips and Chanyeol found him beautiful, even more than usual.  
It weirdly gave him the same energy of when Baekhyun was telling him that everything was fine because he had all solved in his head and was ready to explain to Chanyeol and the others amazing theories or intriguing modus operandi that otherwise would remain in the darkness for them.  
Chanyeol gulped down, nodding shortly and Baekhyun leant down shortly placing a kiss on Chanyeol’s hips, moving his own body slightly farther from Chanyeol to allow himself space to move.  
Baekhyun was practically laying down in between Chanyeol’s open legs and started placing soft kisses on Chanyeol’s thighs.  
It was so arousing yet sweet that Chanyeol almost felt bad in feeling that good.  
Kisses easily became short bites and even more easily hickeys, filling Chanyeol’s inner thigh marked in red and purple blooming signs.  
Chanyeol was shivering under those ministration, feeling them thickening his erection more and more, still unable to process the fact that Baekhyun’s lips were really sucking hickeys on his thighs.  
“You are strangely silent” Chanyeol groaned, trying to keep his voice down even though Baekhyun was making him crazy with that slow and hot pace, moving nearer and nearer to his erection but without touching it in the slightest.  
Baekhyun hummed softly, glancing toward him before biting again his thigh, this time with a bit more decision, making Chanyeol barely hiding a moan.  
“I like listening to you, how your breath is changing when I’m doing the right things, your heartbeat. And your natural scent, the softness of your skin and how you are letting me near, letting me see something I wouldn’t be able to see otherwise. And I want to appreciate it all the way down to the very end” Baekhyun whispered softly, gently biting his own lips, stare losing again in Chanyeol’s and Chanyeol really wanted to caress his cheek and kiss him.  
“If you don’t like it, tell me. I can be even too talkative, as you know” Baekhyun let out suddenly, chuckle easily reaching his lips but Chanyeol was already shaking his head.  
“I want you to behave as you want. I even allowed you to handcuff me, so yeah… do as you please” Chanyeol granted, smirk shortly appearing on his lips and Baekhyun frowned shortly before showing up an equally charming smirk.  
“As I please? You sure?” Baekhyun retorted, fingers massaging Chanyeol’s thighs, stare getting darker clearly interested and willing to try whatever he had in mind.  
And Chanyeol was enthralled by that vision and fuck yes if he wanted Baekhyun to do as he pleased.  
“Yeah, I will tell you if I’m not okay with what you’re doing or if you are hurting me, but I let you know that my resistance is quite high and I don’t think you will never hurt me, so…” Chanyeol observed, shrugging his shoulders and earning himself another perplexed stare from Baekhyun before he could let out a soft chuckle.  
“Sure, sure. Let’s start something more serious, then” he replied stretching his hand to pick up one of the pillows near where Chanyeol was leaning.  
“Raise your back” he almost ordered to Chanyeol and when Chanyeol, frowning, obeyed, Baekhyun pushed the pillow under his back, making it easier for him to reach Chanyeol’s entrance and giving Chanyeol more room to move and spread his legs as he pleased.  
“Usually I immediately use lube but, if it’s okay for you, I would start differently this time” Baekhyun whispered, resettling better in between Chanyeol’s legs and Chanyeol frowned shortly, looking at him interested.  
“Differently?” he echoed and Baekhyun brought his fingers to his own lips, gently licking them.  
“Let me eat you open” Baekhyun stated like it was the most obvious thing ever and Chanyeol’s eyes went wider in surprise.  
It never happened to him.  
Neither with his previous boyfriend.  
He did it to other people, yes, but never received the same treatment.  
“I-I, okay… just no one ever did it to me and…” he started saying, still perplexed by Baekhyun’s suggestion, but Baekhyun frowned a bit too.  
“Never? Oh heavens, now I know why you kinda enjoyed only instead of fucking wanting more” Baekhyun let out, chuckling and shaking his head before his hands moved again on Chanyeol’s thighs.  
Chanyeol groaned lowly, spreading his legs wider.  
“If it’s that good, I want to try it” Chanyeol let out briefly, nodding toward Baekhyun, and damn if he wanted to try.  
The only idea was way more arousing than expected and it was only for a miracle that his erection didn’t twitch again, making his thoughts even clearer than they were already.  
Baekhyun smirked at him already, cheeks slightly rosier before he nodded shortly, fingers again massaging Chanyeol’s thighs and Baekhyun’s stare moved on Chanyeol’s erection and entrance.  
“You are… a wonder, really. I mean, woah” Baekhyun breathed and it was so strange to see him without words, simply looking at Chanyeol who started feeling a bit self-conscious.  
“I… It’s nothing, really. I’m just…” Chanyeol started saying, trying to cover how much he was embarrassed in that moment, but Baekhyun leant down, shortly kissing the side of Chanyeol’s erection, making him shut up immediately.  
“The most beautiful and enthralling man I’ve ever seen? Yes, you are. So hush and let me entertain you a bit more” Baekhyun retorted and even before Chanyeol could even consider replying, Baekhyun leant even more down than before, licking the base of Chanyeol’s dick, making it twitch shortly, and making Chanyeol shiver under him and groaning lowly, pulling his hands against the restriction and, fuck, he wanted to card his hands in Baekhyun’s hair so bad.  
Chanyeol liked his hair a lot, always felt so silky and soft between his fingers.  
Baekhyun, unaware of Chanyeol’s desires concerning his hair, moved his lips down instead of up, moving on Chanyeol’s balls, letting a bit of saliva glide down them.  
Chanyeol briefly closed his eyes enjoying the sensation of something wet and warm sliding down his balls and perineum, reaching his entrance.  
He felt so hot and aroused and he was sure that on his tip there was already precum beads forming.  
But when Baekhyun licked flatly against his entrance, adding more saliva that slid down, probably dirtying the blankets under him, Chanyeol’s mind went empty immediately, filled completely of that sensation and the warm wetness of Baekhyun’s tongue against his skin.  
Chanyeol moan lowly, pressing his back toward Baekhyun, instinctively, hoping that Baekhyun would give him more, but Baekhyun, unhearing of the silent request, continued leisurely to lick him, fingers still massaging his thighs, probably trying to set a comfortable sense of reality in all of that that started to seem like a dream.  
And Chanyeol thought that probably he never had something better than that in all his bottom experience, when Baekhyun sucked on his entrance, letting more saliva slide down.  
Chanyeol groaned, closing his eyes tightly for a second because he thought he was going crazy.  
That sensation was so fucking hot and what the…  
“You like it, Chanyeol? Want me to continue or…?” Baekhyun breathed, moving his lips again on Chanyeol’s dick base, but Chanyeol was already shaking his head.  
“No, I… It’s pleasant” Chanyeol whispered in reply even though that was way more than simply pleasant.  
Not that Baekhyun needed to know.  
But from the smirk that opened on Baekhyun’s lips, he knew already.  
“Oh, sure. Pleasant, right?” he retorted, leaning down again, letting more saliva slide down his own entrance, before he could start licking it again, slowly, so slowly that Chanyeol pulled again at the handcuffs around his hands against the headboard.  
“Baekhyun, fuck” he let out, biting his own lips, but spreading his legs even wider than before, giving Baekhyun even more space.  
Baekhyun hummed softly, hand moving on Chanyeol’s erection, softly, gently tugging it, slowly and so leisurely that it wasn’t even a pace.  
Chanyeol threw his head on the side, pressing his body down toward Baekhyun who welcomed the movements, adapting to them.  
And when Chanyeol thought that he would have come like that, that half-there pace and that pleasant, continuous wet and warm presence against his entrance, Baekhyun thrusted his tongue in, pressing against the tight rim of muscle of his entrance, making Chanyeol bit his lips harder, trying uselessly to muffle down a loud moan that escape his mouth nevertheless.  
The sensation was so good, feeling Baekhyun that near and that intimate and so warm and wet and…  
Chanyeol groaned again, pulling with his hands, momentarily forgetting about having his hands tied.  
“Baekhyun, what the…” Chanyeol groaned, but Baekhyun repeated the gesture, with more intent than before, pressing harder in, making Chanyeol arch his back, unable to hide the moan anymore.  
Chanyeol never felt that way before and it was so sensual and so erotic and…  
He didn’t know.  
But he wanted more and more and more…  
“B-Baek…” he breathed, biting his lips again, pulling harder at the handcuffs, making Baekhyun raise his head and look at him interested and… pleased, maybe?  
“Yeah?” he retorted, moving again his hand on leisurely stroke Chanyeol’s erection, making Chanyeol inhale sharply, trying to steady his mind that started swimming and losing in all that pleasure.  
“Didn’t you tease me enough?” Chanyeol asked him briefly and Baekhyun huffed a short chuckled, moving to stretch and pick up a small bottle of lube from the drawer of the nightstand.  
“Yeah… I think so, especially since it’s almost like your first time” Baekhyun admitted, clicking open the bottle and pouring a generous amount on his fingers, properly smearing it between them.  
“And it’s not fair since I can’t touch you” Chanyeol tried again, but Baekhyun shook his head shortly, moving his fingers on Chanyeol’s entrance, gently circling it without inserting and making Chanyeol writhe under him.  
“Ah, no. For that, maybe only later. When I’ll take you, maybe, I’ll let your hands free so that I can feel better on my back how much you are enjoying it” Baekhyun replied and fuck, maybe it was better that he stayed silent.  
Because Chanyeol was so weak to Baekhyun’s dirty talking, especially when he was about to finger him.  
Chanyeol realized that actually he was weak to Baekhyun in the whole sense, not only his dirty talking or the way he looked at him, wanting and arousing.  
Baekhyun thrusted the first finger in, making Chanyeol groan at the intrusion, clearly feeling the stretch and if at start it was a bit close to discomfort, Baekhyun eased it with more lube and started again leisurely stroking his erection with the other hand, making it way more pleasant than before.  
“Is it okay? How are you feeling it?” Baekhyun asked him, starting to thrust slowly his finger in and out, trying to understand if the resistance was pleasant now or still irritating to Chanyeol.  
And Chanyeol was liking it way more than he would ever admit.  
“You are taking even too much time” Chanyeol retorted shortly, making Baekhyun snort, shaking his head and even before Chanyeol could realize it, Baekhyun was already thrusting in a second finger, scissoring it together with the first.  
Chanyeol arched his back again, hoisting them completely, feeling them scratching against his walls, stretching and playing inside him, making him moan lowly, starting to follow Baekhyun’s pace inside of him.  
“Oh, so you like this” Baekhyun commented, biting his lips and shortly glancing at Chanyeol’s face before he could refocus again on his activities on Chanyeol’s erection and ass.  
And seeing Baekhyun’s fingers around his erection and thinking at them inside himself, made Chanyeol’s head spin even more.  
Those beautiful, perfect slender fingers that he always noticed since day one, filling him up and making him feel that good.  
It felt like a dream.  
Or a miracle.  
Chanyeol was already lost in all of that pleasure, feeling again his head drifting away, taken by all those sensation and Baekhyun’s hands on him when Baekhyun pressed in another fingers, making him cry louder for Baekhyun’s name, pulling even harder on those fucking handcuffs and damn, he wanted to pull Baekhyun at him and kissing him sloppily while he was fingering him.  
Baekhyun seemed pleased by Chanyeol’s voice, starting to thrust faster his fingers inside Chanyeol, adapting also at the same pace his ministration on Chanyeol’s erection and Chanyeol couldn’t take all of that together.  
He didn’t know if he wanted more Baekhyun’s fingers inside him or his hand stroking him quickly.  
And to complicate an already difficult situation, Baekhyun leant down and started kissing and sucking again his nipples, making Chanyeol let out the lewdest moan he probably ever produced.  
“Baekhyun, ah, more” he breathed, moaning lower and Baekhyun didn’t hesitate this time, giving Chanyeol more of everything he was already doing.  
Chanyeol followed Baekhyun’s faster pace inside himself, almost fucking himself on Baekhyun’s fingers, loving every second of Baekhyun’s other hand on his erection, stroking it at an equally stimulating pace, and his lips on his nipples sucking and biting, rendering Chanyeol almost unable to process a thought that was one.  
And when Baekhyun slightly changed the angle of his thrust inside Chanyeol, hitting his prostate, Chanyeol moaned even louder than before, arching even better his back and welcoming even deeper Baekhyun’s fingers and coming hard, suddenly exploding on his own torso with white and thick cum.  
That same white and thickness filled also his head, sparkling so brightly and making him unable to process anything but so much fucking pleasure.  
He was panting, breath uneven and even before he could realize it, he felt Baekhyun’s lips on his neck, softly, gently and then slowly descending on his torso and licking away the product of his orgasm.  
It was weirdly… soft?  
And made Chanyeol’s chest bubbling with a strange warm feeling that he probably hadn’t feel if not for Baekhyun.  
It was so strange, realizing he was in love with Baekhyun while the latter one was licking away cum from his torso and his fingers were still inside Chanyeol.  
However, the realization didn’t stroke Chanyeol as hard as expected.  
It was like… he knew already.  
It was just a matter of fully realize it and accept it.  
And even if he knew that sooner than later whatever there was between them was meant to end up in nothing, Chanyeol felt glad he was in love with Baekhyun.  
Because there couldn’t be a better person he could fall in love with.  
Despite it being impossible, obviously.  
But Chanyeol tried not to think about that, refocusing on the present moment and not what it would be of them.  
“It was… perfect” Chanyeol breathed, making Baekhyun chuckle softly against his skin, shaking his head.  
“I don’t want to break your little bubble of blissful pleasure, but there’s still the main event” Baekhyun whispered, placing a soft kiss against Chanyeol’s hip and Chanyeol felt another shiver running down his back.  
And he was thinking how to tell Baekhyun that it would take a while more before Chanyeol could be hard again and that they could go for the main event, when Baekhyun leant down and started licking Chanyeol’s erection too, slowly, flatly, adding more saliva than required and making Chanyeol bit his lips shortly due to the sensitivity.  
But Baekhyun’s tongue was wet and hot against his skin, so pleasant and so delicate yet precise that Chanyeol’s discomfort easily muted to blooming pleasure again, feeling again his erection getting thicker without realizing.  
And if that wasn’t a miracle.  
The effects that Baekhyun had on him were really a miracle.  
It took less than five minutes before Chanyeol was also comfortable again with Baekhyun’s fingers still inside himself and he could feel Baekhyun starting to slowly thrust them again inside him, slowly, leisurely, testing Chanyeol’s reactions.  
“You are perfect, Baekhyun” Chanyeol moaned lowly, starting to move again at the same pace of Baekhyun’s thrusts inside himself and Baekhyun let out a soft chuckle, shaking his head.  
“You are, Chanyeol. So perfect and, fuck, why didn’t I propose this before?” he groaned back, and even if the question was rhetorical, Chanyeol was almost tempted to reply.  
He was about to speak up, when Baekhyun inhaled deeply, moving closer to him, leaning down and starting again to softly kiss his neck, moving his other hand again on Chanyeol’s erection, starting to stroke him.  
Chanyeol groaned lowly, pressing his lips in a thin line, feeling again the arousal, wanting to come again, but this time not on Baekhyun’s fingers.  
He wanted to feel Baekhyun inside, feeling him coming inside of himself and… when did he ever have that same feelings?  
That same desired?  
“Baekhyun…” Chanyeol muttered, trying to stop following Baekhyun’s fingers pace, but it was so difficult since it was so enjoyable.  
Baekhyun hummed against his neck and Chanyeol bit his lips again, feeling Baekhyun’s fingers reaching again his prostate and making him see stars again.  
“Give it to me…” Chanyeol let out softly, pulling at the handcuffs still tying his hands and Baekhyun raised his head only to look at Chanyeol, frowning shortly.  
“What do you want, Chanyeollie? Tell me and I will give you what you want” Baekhyun replied softly, smile softly appearing on his lips and heavens if Chanyeol loved that nickname.  
It was so soft, cute and intimate but in the meantime also so arousing and erotic on Baekhyun’s lips.  
“I want you, Baekhyun. Please” Chanyeol whispered in reply, making Baekhyun’s eyes get slightly wider in perplexity, probably seeing Chanyeol’s sincerity, but then he nodded shortly, briefly.  
“I think we both need it, right?” Baekhyun concluded, stopping stroking Chanyeol’s erection, but not pulling out his fingers from Chanyeol.  
Chanyeol observed him moving his free hand on his own jeans, popping the buttons open before he could hastily pushing them slightly down together with his boxers.  
“And you are even so dressed” Chanyeol noted, frowning shortly, but Baekhyun chuckled briefly, shaking his head.  
“I can take off my t-shirt later if you want. And… you prefer with condom or not?” Baekhyun asked him back, leisurely thrusting his fingers inside Chanyeol, but it was a barely hinted move, more than a real thrust.  
Chanyeol bit his lips shortly, stare searching for Baekhyun’s.  
“I want to touch you, though. For the rest, as you please. I don’t mind either” Chanyeol replied shortly, realizing only in that moment how throaty his voice was.  
Baekhyun chuckled softly, nodding and way too skillfully, after he took the small key, he unlocked the handcuffs, freeing Chanyeol’s hands.  
Chanyeol massaged them briefly, easing that small discomfort he felt on his wrists before he could look at Baekhyun again, licking his own lips.  
“How you, uhm, prefer things?” Chanyeol asked him and Baekhyun smiled shortly at him, nearing him again, fingers almost stopping inside Chanyeol.  
“Raw? I want to feel you, clenching around my dick, moaning and calling my name as you come hard again” Baekhyun whispered against his ear before shortly biting it and Chanyeol groaned lowly, feeling his own erection twitch at the only mention and he wanted Baekhyun inside too.  
And two could play the same game.  
“I want to feel you coming inside of me, Baek, filling me up” Chanyeol replied softly, arms easily circling Baekhyun’s neck and pulling him nearer than before, making him groan lowly, biting again Chanyeol’s ear.  
“Let me, then. I can’t wait for it” Baekhyun breathed slowly pulling out his own fingers from Chanyeol but Chanyeol pressed his lips in a thin line, shaking his head and pushing shortly Baekhyun sitting down, near him and, even before Baekhyun could inquire about whatever, Chanyeol sat on his laps, erection brushing Baekhyun’s, making them both moan lowly.  
“You did all by yourself today. Let me move a bit too” Chanyeol proposed, grinding their dicks together and feeling Baekhyun’s hands gripping on his sides.  
“Are you sure? I don’t want you to hurt yourself” Baekhyun whispered, frowning shortly but Chanyeol was already shaking his head, leaning closer to Baekhyun and placing his lips on Baekhyun’s neck.  
“Please?” Chanyeol asked him again but Baekhyun bit Chanyeol’s neck briefly too.  
“You don’t have to ask it, Chanyeol… I am more than willing, just…” Baekhyun started saying but Chanyeol couldn’t take it anymore and did what he wanted to do all night.  
He slightly gripped on Baekhyun’s hair, before leaning down and kiss him slowly, feeling him hum against his lips, letting Chanyeol lead for a second, before he started kissing back, tongue licking his way in Chanyeol’s mouth.  
Baekhyun tasted a bit of Chanyeol’s precum, but also of pizza, beer, cigarette as per usual and… sweet.  
That sweet taste he always had and Chanyeol couldn’t quite pinpoint properly.  
“Let me, Baekhyun. As you said, we both need it” Chanyeol whispered and Baekhyun simply nodded.  
Because it was the most natural conclusion to whatever was happening in that moment and they both wanted it.  
Chanyeol moved shortly, helped by Baekhyun, in finding the best position and when he did, he slowly went down on Baekhyun’s erection, slowly taking it all in, feeling it filling him up and stretching how so good, that Chanyeol almost wanted to cry.  
The stretch was far greater than Baekhyun’s fingers, but it was oh so pleasant and Chanyeol wanted more, wanted Baekhyun thrusting inside him, making him pleading and moaning.  
“Oh, fuck, Chanyeol. You are so tight” Baekhyun whispered, hands gripping harder on Chanyeol’s sides, leaning in and resting his forehead on Chanyeol’s shoulder, probably focusing on not thrusting immediately inside Chanyeol, fearing to hurt him.  
But Chanyeol started already a small pace, taking better and deeper all of Baekhyun, arching his back against the insertion and feeling it so deep and so good that Chanyeol was surprised in enjoying it that much.  
He never felt that good in being the receiving part, feeling that taken care of, that cherished and spoiled and... Baekhyun’s hands moved on his buttocks, gently spreading them apart, making it easier the penetration, and helping Chanyeol moving on his laps.  
“And you are so damn thick. I love how you fill me up, Baek” Chanyeol moaned, circling again Baekhyun’s neck with is arm and carding his fingers in his hair, pulling him near.  
Baekhyun let him do as he pleased, allowing him to set the pace, simply enjoying Chanyeol’s movements on him, his presence so near and his lips on Baekhyun’s shoulders.  
“I want you” Baekhyun breathed and it was enough for them to know the purest perfection behind that moment.  
Baekhyun met all Chanyeol’s movements with thrusts, setting a faster pace, hitting better and nearer home.  
Chanyeol arched his back, letting Baekhyun bite his neck to muffle moans and groans, moving in a perfect equilibrium, only Chanyeol’s moans and squelching sounds filling the silence.  
After a powerful thrust, Chanyeol arched better his back, letting Baekhyun thrust deeper inside himself, hitting his prostate, and making Chanyeol crying out Baekhyun’s name, fingers gripping harder on his hair and back, feeling Baekhyun’s teeth grazing harder on his neck.  
“Baekhyun, please, give me more” Chanyeol moaned and he knew it was literally pleading for it, but he wanted it, he wanted more he wanted Baekhyun to give it all to him.  
And Baekhyun did, quickening his pace, continuously hitting against Chanyeol’s prostate, making him jump on his laps, arching his back impossibly and taking as much as he can of Baekhyun.  
Chanyeol felt his orgasm building up, this time, pooling in his abdomen and exploding in flashes of white and opalescent lights behind his eyes while he came, crying Baekhyun’s name and gripping harder on his back, probably signing it.  
Baekhyun followed him promptly, thanks to a small help from Chanyeol who breathed a brief fill me up that was effective enough to push Baekhyun over the edge and come inside Chanyeol hard and hot, making Chanyeol yip at the sensation, biting his own lips, taking it all in, and riding Baekhyun’s orgasm until the very end, feeling him breath unevenly against his own shoulder.  
There was a soft silence, short, no more than few minutes and then Chanyeol spoke up.  
“If we stay like this another more, I’ll probably fall asleep here” Chanyeol whispered, making Baekhyun chuckle softly, shaking his head.  
But for the first time, Baekhyun didn’t distance him from his life.  
Instead he held Chanyeol tighter to himself.  
And Chanyeol didn’t know why it happened or what was passing in Baekhyun’s head, but he was fine as long as he didn’t have to go home.  
Because Baekhyun was perfect, warm, so nice scented almost felt like… home.  
Chanyeol knew it was a dangerous thought, but for that moment he didn’t want to think about it.  
He just wanted to enjoy it as it came.  
Soft and warm as Baekhyun was.  
And it was like that that, without even realizing, he fell asleep in Baekhyun’s arms.

The day after, Chanyeol woke up and he was… sticky as fuck.  
He felt all itchy and sweaty and there was a mild pain on his lower back and ass.  
Chanyeol turned around in the bed but found it empty.  
Baekhyun was nowhere to be seen and from the rest of the house didn’t come any noise, making Chanyeol frown shortly, sitting up and carding his fingers through his hair.  
“Baekhyun?” he softly called, moving to retrieve his boxer and shirt before venturing toward the kitchen, finding it equally empty.  
He hummed shortly and there was no way that Baekhyun simply disappeared on him, right?  
That was Baekhyun’s house after all so…  
But the Chanyeol spotted a small azure paper sheet, almost like a sticky note, on the kitchen table, Baekhyun’s handwriting clearly showing on the surface.  
Chanyeol neared it, picking it up and seeing only few sentences on the sticky note, but Chanyeol frowned already at the first one.

Dear officer,  
I’m sorry for using you to arrive to whatever I wanted from the start.  
I know that you will ask Xing about the truth, the only one that I hid you, reason why I can’t leave you my brother’s folder yet.  
Now that I know who I was looking for since forever, I don’t think we will see each other anymore.  
I’ll finally settle everything back at how it was supposed to be and… I won’t forget my clothes around this time.  
It was fun while it lasted, take care.

Fearless Light

Chanyeol frowned even deeper than before clearly… disoriented.  
He inhaled deeply trying to breath and analyze what there was written on that small paper.  
Baekhyun signed himself once again as Fearless Light, which probably meant that the whole thing had something to do with his acquaintance with Nam and company.  
Baekhyun wrote that he used Chanyeol and referred to him as officer once again and he did it only when things between them were getting too personal and intimate, making Baekhyun push him away, out of his comfort zone even though they were still fucking around.  
There was also a clear hint a hidden truth and his brother’s folder which probably was referred to the yellow police folder Baekhyun had on his table and that contained info about Baekbom’s last mission.  
And that mention on Baekhyun’s own clothes clearly a hint to when Yixing arrested him because he was careless and lazy as Baekhyun described himself.  
Chanyeol inhaled deeply and in a second all the fears he had about whatever was happening between him and Baekhyun materialized all-in-once.  
Because Chanyeol couldn’t be that lucky to find a partner who simply enjoyed their time together, without any further motive.  
Chanyeol didn’t know what Baekhyun was looking for or what Chanyeol did or said to fulfill Baekhyun’s necessity of information, but apparently the night prior he filled in the last piece that missed in Baekhyun’s puzzle.  
Baekhyun was so fucking clever and smart and his head moved in thousand different ways while normal people moved only on ten or twenty usually prefixed railways.  
Reason why Chanyeol knew that whatever Baekhyun realized, he was now out there finding a way to achieve whatever he was looking for.  
Settle back everything how it was supposed to be, Baekhyun wrote.  
What the hell did that mean?  
And taped behind the small paper, there was also a small silver coin with something engraved on it.  
Chanyeol frowned studying it, but he couldn’t understand what it was.  
He finally decided that, as Baekhyun hinted, it was time to talk with Yixing.  
He showered even though it felt a bit weird doing it in a house that wasn’t his and took his car driving directly toward the police station, without going home.  
Yixing was already in his office, thankfully, and Chanyeol entered his office without much knocking, azure paper still between his fingers.  
“Park, what…” Yixing started saying, seeing him enter his office without almost knocking and clearly not as calm and badass as he was the other days.  
For how much Chanyeol felt it somewhere inside himself, the whole thing about Baekhyun using him to get to something, kind of hurt Chanyeol.  
He didn’t want Baekhyun to love him or have feelings as Chanyeol had for him, but he hoped, even if for just a second, that their relationship was based on something deeper than a mere acquaintance.  
He really made a fool of himself.  
“Baekhyun is planning something and this time I need to know all the truth” Chanyeol stated closing the door behind him and showing Yixing the azure paper.  
Yixing frowned deeply sitting up from his desk and nearing him, picking up the small paper sheet.  
He read it twice just to be sure that he read it correctly before shaking his head.  
“I told you that Baek is not who he seems to be” Yixing stated giving him back the paper but Chanyeol was already shaking his head.  
“I want to know which is the truth he hid me. Probably it has something to do with his brother’s last mission, right?” Chanyeol asked him and Yixing inhaled deeply, nodding, gesturing him to sit down in front of his desk and sitting down again too.  
Chanyeol sat down and Yixing carded his fingers through his hair, shaking his head.  
“Who would have thought that Baekhyun always had that folder… I thought it got lost for some reason during last archive renewal” Yixing whispered, briefly and Chanyeol clicked his tongue shortly, shaking his head too.  
It was almost obvious that it was in Baekhyun’s hands since the very start.  
It made more sense than archive renewal, in Chanyeol’s opinion.  
“You knew that Baek’s brother, detective Byun, was gay?” Yixing asked him and Chanyeol frowned shortly, nodding.  
“And that he refused kickback at least ten times in the last two years before his death?” Yixing continued, making Chanyeol frown deeply, shaking his head.  
Someone tried to buy Baekbom, but he refused.  
Was for that reason that he died?  
He was about to ask it to Yixing, when Yixing stopped him with a short gesture of his hand.  
“Let me tell you the story from the start and if you will have doubt, you will ask later” Yixing stated and Chanyeol nodded shortly, ready to whatever Baekhyun hid him up to that moment.  
“I… thought that Baek already told you the truth when I last had both of you in my office, but it seems that he was slightly more reserved than expected” Yixing breathed and even before Chanyeol could comment, Yixing leant his back on the chair and started telling him another version of the story.  
“Detective Byun Baekbom was special. Duteous, rightful and always solar and helpful. He and Baekhyun helped us here a lot in the previous years. Baek is… very proud of his big bro and supported him in basically everything. And he did even when detective Byun started asking him about the Dark thief, a thief that more or less like Fearless Light stole from museums and private collections only to resell on the black market and earn big, easy money. Baek has a degree in modern arts and restoration, so yeah, he knew and still knows tons of the subject and gladly accepted to work with us. He… wasn’t a thief to start with. He started being Fearless Light only after his brother’s death” Yixing continued, explaining part of a story that Chanyeol didn’t know and made him frown deeply.  
Baekhyun said that Yixing arrested him for being Fearless Light and that, from there on, he started to work with the police sometimes helping his brother too.  
Now Yixing was telling him that Fearless Light never existed before Baekbom’s death.  
Fishy.  
And he was about to ask, when Yixing stopped him, shaking his head.  
“Baek is… unruly, in a word, but his methods are gold and helped us out way more times that whoever will ever admit. He’s a genius and his mind works in… unexpected ways that we are able to see only when he explains it to us. But let’s go back to the original matter because I think you already know how genial Baek is” Yixing commented shortly, shrugging his shoulders and picking up again the previous subject.  
“Detective Byun was working undercover when he died. Officially died on action because someone made his coverture blow. Unofficially? Who knows? He was in the wrong place at the wrong moment and we are sure that nobody except few of his colleagues knew about the undercover mission. Neither his soon-to-be-husband” Yixing continued, crossing his arms on his chest and looking at Chanyeol, hoping that he could do some math.  
And Chanyeol was way too good in mathematics.  
It meant that one of these few colleagues of his killed him making it seems like Baekbom died on action.  
“Unfortunately, is not something that it never happened before and detective Byun wasn’t exactly respected and looked up to. A bit because of Baek who was clearly his delinquent yet clever brother and a bit because when they investigate on his death, the fact that he was gay became a commonly known thing and that wasn’t exactly… good in those years” Yixing added briefly and his fingers went to play distractedly with some papers on the desk in front of him.  
Chanyeol inhaled deeply, nodding his head shortly, clearly understanding what Yixing was hinting to.  
“Baek… self-exiled himself from police. When detective Byun died, people started talking badly about his back, trying to find all the excuses not to give him any honor nor medal. It was then that Baekhyun risked to be arrested for almost assaulting a public officer” Yixing went on, making Chanyeol frown deeply unable to process this new information he never heard before from Baekhyun.  
“Heavens if he’s always been difficult to handle. Well, he made such a scene that in the end he got his agreement. He had to stay out of police affairs, flying down, not meddling with anything regarding police affairs and they would give his brother a decoration and stated everywhere that he died in action, serving his country. I didn’t know why Baekhyun was so fixated on that but he achieved it too” Yixing continued softly, clicking his tongue and there was something that he didn’t like in that whole story too.  
And there was something that Chanyeol couldn’t quite get either.  
Everything sounded so fishy and somehow a closer version to the real truth but still not quite there.  
There were still holes and vagueness in all Yixing’s story.  
“Baek knew that his brother didn’t die like that, he was convinced of it since day one and never stopped looking for whoever could actually knew about him being undercover, or where to find him that night in that particular area of the city that shouldn’t be patrolled in that moment. Baek became dangerous for himself and for others. His questions were… the right ones, unfortunately and I wanted, I really tried, to keep him out of here for how long as possible but then that Dark thief came back again and I needed something, someone, that could contrast him strongly as he was hitting us” Yixing explained, fingers carding though his hair, shaking his head, clearly frustrated by his own forced choices.  
“And when Baek took the place of Fearless Light, the Dark thief quit his activities for a while before coming back with those murders of the last days of the year. Because he was challenging Baek to some kind of… game” Yixing concluded, shrugging his shoulders briefly before exhaling again, this time a bit desperate.  
Chanyeol inhaled deeply instead, fingers carding through his hair, biting his lips in thought.  
“Well, fuck…” he started saying, making Yixing chuckle softly, shaking his head again.  
“Who knows why but I was expecting this comment” Yixing stated and Chanyeol snorted too, before going serious again.  
So…  
Baekhyun wasn’t a thief from the beginning.  
He became one to help his brother and the police to catch another thief.  
It was like they played chess with masterpieces instead of tokens.  
And then something happened and Baekbom got killed while Baekhyun temporarily left the police just to let his brother have the honors he deserved.  
Just to come back few years later officially to help Yixing out with the same case that got Baekbom killed.  
It didn’t take a genius to understand that Baekhyun came back just to understand who killed his brother since he never believed that shit of the coverture.  
And judging from that small paper sheet that he left Chanyeol that morning, probably he had his answers too.  
But… which ones?  
Who Baekhyun was referring too?  
And did he really find his answers?  
How was he planning on bringing the truth to light?  
Chanyeol was sure that Yixing didn’t have those replies either, so he focused on what he could instead knowing.  
“Baekhyun was… arrested in his young years. Is this true?” Chanyeol asked Yixing who inhaled deeply, nodding shortly.  
“Underage drinking alcohol in a gay pub. Not once but few times. I hid his police records when he started working here. I didn’t want people to doubt him because he was gay, underage or had past records” Yixing whispered softly, opening the second drawer of his desk and pulling out a thick folder, clearly Baekhyun’s folder.  
Chanyeol frowned shortly, pressing his fingers on his temples.  
“So you are telling me that Baekhyun worked here also when he was still a minor?” Chanyeol asked him and Yixing frowned shortly, nodding.  
“I thought he told you. I mean, it’s the whole reason why he insisted in becoming Fearless Light and helping his brother. His words were something like I don’t have to lose anything anyway no? I think he was at the peak of his darkest period. And Baek never… forgave himself for what happened to Detective Byun, despite it clearly wasn’t his fault” Yixing replied shrugging his shoulders and Chanyeol groaned lowly, fingers carding through his hair again.  
What the fuck?  
And what the fuck was Baekhyun trying to say with all that behavior?  
What Chanyeol was supposed to understand from it?  
“And that’s also why you are forcing him to work with you, helping you in the difficult cases?” Chanyeol asked him, making Yixing frown deeply, before he could nod shortly.  
“Forcing is a bit strong as word. Let’s say that it’s an equivalent exchange” Yixing stated in reply but Chanyeol was already shaking his head.  
“You are just making him work for you, blackmailing him” Chanyeol concluded, sitting up and shaking his head, more decided than ever not to know a thing more about that.  
“There’s another thing you need to know, Park and I think it’s important since I think you are a good officer, despite our not always agreeing point of views…” Yixing stopped him, sitting up too and nearing him on the other side of the desk.  
Chanyeol frowned but stopped, listening to whatever he was about to say.  
“Baek is… introverted when it comes to his own personal affairs, as you may know already” Yixing started saying and Chanyeol frowned even deeper before he could nod shortly, clearly understanding what Yixing was referring to.  
“However, he told me something after you two came here last time. And I think that for once in his life, Baek has feelings for someone. Romantic ones, I mean” Yixing continued, making Chanyeol frown shortly, shaking his head, not knowing anymore what Yixing was trying to say.  
Baekhyun was in love with someone?  
Was it someone from his squad? Or maybe Sehun since they had a really ambiguous relationship?  
How come Chanyeol knew nothing about it?  
Was he that blinded by feelings, couldn’t see how Baekhyun was in love with someone?  
And if he was, why enjoying his time with Chanyeol?  
Was it just due to Baekhyun’s past or Chanyeol being so willing to help him out?  
“I don’t… know. I mean, are you sure about him loving someone?” Chanyeol asked, even if his tone was cautious, trying to understand how much Yixing knew and if he knew also which person Baekhyun was referring to.  
Yixing, though, stared at him, deadpanned, shaking his head too.  
“It’s you, officer Park. Baek asked me to fuck off and lay off my hands from you. Because he would do whatever thing necessary to preserve your integrity as officer and the honor of your squad. I never saw him that serious in something that didn’t involve Detective Byun” Yixing stated, shrugging his shoulders and Chanyeol’s eyes went wider in perplexity, clearly not agreeing with the whole reasoning.  
“I… He just like the guys in my squad and we partially agree on things but…” Chanyeol started to say but Yixing shook again his head.  
“He loves you, officer. I don’t know what you can do with this news, but he does. And I don’t know neither what he planned to do now, but maybe it’s not too late and we can still prevent him to do something reckless as per usual” Yixing stated, forcing a small smile and it was clear as the sun how much he cost him to voice that statement, probably thinking how Baekhyun’s feelings were not welcomed.  
But they were.  
If Baekhyun was really in love with him, it made all a different sense and Chanyeol wanted to tell him that he had feelings for him too.  
Because love maybe was a bit too… early and too embarrassing and he could feel his cheeks almost taking fire.  
“I-I have another question before going and try to find Baekhyun…” Chanyeol whispered picking up the small silver coin from his trousers and showing it to Yixing who frowned shortly.  
“How comes you have it?” Yixing asked him, observing it curiously, making Chanyeol frown too.  
“Baekhyun left it together with the small sticky note” Chanyeol retorted shortly, making Yixing smile softly toward him.  
“What did I tell you? Baek is in love with you. That small coin was… Detective Byun’s. It was a rare coin of Saint Michael who was said to be protector of guardian of justice. It was a gift for someone from afar, or so Baek always says. He kept it very dear after detective Byun’s death” Yixing explained making Chanyeol feel his cheeks burning hot before he could shake his head and grip harder on the small coin.  
“Let’s go and find him” he whispered, making Yixing nod near him.  
However, it seemed that they didn’t need to look much.  
There was a quick knock on the door and Jondae entered, disheveled and breathe uneven.  
“Yeol!” he called him and Chanyeol frowned shortly, nearing him, worried by all that hastiness.  
“Breath, what happened?” Chanyeol asked him briefly, frown not leaving his face and Jondae gave him a small card, identical to the ones usually sent by… Fearless Light.  
Yixing recognized it too, nearing them.

I won’t tolerate anymore a challenge in which human lives are at stake.  
So I’ll tell it in advance this time. Tonight, I’ll steal King Sejong’s heavenly crown.  
Meet me there and let’s show the world if light can still prevail over darkness.  
Time to settle things to their original place one last time.

Fearless Light

Chanyeol frowned shortly at the message, wondering what in the world Baekhyun was thinking.  
In the end, he really sent that card scheduling a meeting with Dark thief.  
“What the fuck?” Chanyeol breathed turning it around his fingers but Yixing picked it up, sighing.  
“What is Baek even thinking? Sending this obvious card asking for a meeting. Does he want so bad to get killed?” Yixing sighed exasperated, shaking his head and Jondae frowned deeply.  
“What… does Baekhyun matter with this?” Jondae asked them and Chanyeol inhaled deeply, taking again the card from Yixing’s hands and quickly glancing toward Jondae.  
“Call the others. There’s something me and Zhang want to share with you” Chanyeol whispered, gently pressing on Jondae’s shoulders who frowned shortly but nodded, exiting the room leaving Chanyeol and Yixing alone.  
“They… don’t know about Baekhyun being Fearless Light, I’m the only one who knew it” Chanyeol breathed softly and Yixing chuckled, shaking his head, shrugging his shoulders.  
“Baek definitely loves you a lot” he breathed and even before Chanyeol could inquire on the statement, Yixing left, going toward the shared of office that Chanyeol and Kim team used.  
They entered and found everyone already sitting on the desks, frowning and trying to understand what they missed and that could lead to Baekhyun in whichever way.  
“Yeol, what…?” Jondae started saying but Chanyeol stopped him with a small gesture of his hand, nearing the big board where they had all the evidences they gathered since the very beginning.  
“Fearless Light is a… fake thief that Zhang and Baekhyun staged to catch another thief, clearly much more difficult to fight than Fearless Light himself” Chanyeol stated making everyone frown deeply, shaking their heads.  
“Wait, what? You are telling us that Baekhyunnie is our Thunder thief since the very start?” Minseok asked him, since Jondae apparently lost his ability to speak.  
Chanyeol nodded briefly, smiling apologetically.  
“Sorry for not telling you any sooner but it’s not the only problem here. Baekhyun was so reluctant in telling somebody about this because he suspects that there’s someone inside the police who is helping the real thief they are looking for” Chanyeol continued, and this time also Yixing frowned deeply, new to the news too.  
“What are you trying to say, officer Park? And why wasn’t I informed on this?” Yixing asked him immediately, but Chanyeol was already shaking his head shortly.  
“I don’t know why Baekhyun decided not to tell you, but I know that he is suspecting of almost everybody, especially on higher ranks, especially people who were already involved in his brother’s death” Chanyeol added, picking up the old and almost empty file he had on Baekbom and pinning his picture to the board with the other proofs.  
Jondae raised his hand shortly, frowning.  
“What does Baek’s brother…?” Jondae started saying but Chanyeol shrugged his shoulders briefly.  
“He was working undercover to catch that same thief Baekhyun is now chasing when he was killed. And Baekhyun… he helped police also prior to what he is doing here with us, even though I don’t think we can exactly define it helping since he was Fearless Light since the very start” Chanyeol explained softly, biting his lips and staring away.  
Baekhyun really fooled them good, especially at the beginning.  
“Does this mean that he also killed those people?” Junmyeon asked them, quietly, carefully trying to understand what more it was hidden, but Chanyeol shook his head.  
“The few cases, the ones with murders, were by Dark thief or better the thief that Baekhyun and Zhang are looking for since years already. Those murders were ways to challenge Baekhyun, probably because the thief knows Baekhyun better than we may think” Chanyeol replied shortly, making Jongin frown too.  
“And better than we do apparently” he added, bringing immediate silence in the room.  
There was a brief moment during which nobody added anything, but then Chanyeol spoke up.  
“Listen, I understand if you feel betrayed by Baekhyun because he never told you and he played with us in catching someone who he knew that it wasn’t possible to catch since it was… him all along. But there were reasons why he did” he started saying, earning himself perplexed stares from everybody in the room before he could inhale deeply, fingers carding through his hair, quickly pulling it back.  
“However, I have reason to think that he’s in trouble at the moment. He… decided to do all alone, again and I don’t want him to risk his life for something that should be our work. You can think whatever you want of Baekhyun, but at the moment he’s a way too clever yet in danger civilian and we have to secure and protect him, even from himself and his ideas. Whatever they might be” Chanyeol added staring at each of his team members’ eyes, seeing the same determination they always had and that brought them that far.  
“Let’s prove that we can close a case old fucking years and save Baekhyun’s ass” he concluded earning cheers from his team and, it wasn’t hard to mention that Chanyeol never was as proud as in that moment of them.  
Whatever they were thinking or not about Baekhyun, they put it aside just to work actively on the case and, hopefully, catching the thief while saving Baekhyun’s life too.  
“So…” Jondae started saying nearing the board and taking off basically everything.  
“Let’s start back from the beginning. What do we know?” Jondae asked briefly and Minseok hummed picking up Baekbom’s pic and putting it on the board again.  
“Baekhyunnie’s brother was working undercover to catch this same thief Baekhyunnie and Mr. Zhang are pursuing right now too, right?” he suggested and Junmyeon nodded shortly.  
“Apparently, Baekhyun thought that his brother didn’t die in action, but was killed by a partner or someone he knew from police” Chanyeol commented making Junmyeon frown deeply, reaching him and Jondae near the board.  
“So the Dark thief had some powerful acquaintances in police or was somehow related to them” Junmyeon added and Chanyeol pulled out the same pics that Baekhyun showed him in the past of Nam and company.  
“These are the… prime suspects. Nam is a banker who has nothing to fear and super guarded with a lot of equally annoying lawyers. Follow Santos, killed in prison by former companion Suzuo, probably under Nam’s order” Chanyeol started saying, sticking the pictures on the board and Jondae followed him, writing under the photos their names and which role they had in the story.  
“Then we have, uhm, Kim which is clean as August sky but his fiancé, Lim, is a famous drug dealer” Chanyeol concluded, turning around toward the others and Junmyeon hummed lowly, looking at the pictures.  
“So, let’s hypothetically assume that Santos, who was in jail for an armed robbery and was killed by Suzuo, knew something more about the simple robbery, how do we link him with Nam and Dark thief?” Junmyeon asked him and Chanyeol frowned deeply, clearly not knowing the reply.  
Neither Baekhyun was sure about that and when they talked about it, he simply stated that he knew it.  
But without evidences and proofs, they couldn’t do a thing.  
And then out of the blue there was a soft knock that startled them all.  
“Yeah?” Chanyeol asked and the door opened revealing… Sehun?  
Chanyeol frowned shortly seeing him there and… what the fuck?  
“I… asked the receptionist and they said you were here, officer. I heard you are in need of help” Sehun stated shortly, making Chanyeol frown deeper than before.  
“Are we? Who told you?” he asked him briefly and Sehun beamed at him, showing him his smartphone.  
On the screen there was a message, incoming from an unknown number but the sender was… obvious.

[10:20AM] From unknow number:  
Sehunnie, it’s me Baek. I need a favor from you. Can you please go to the police station and help officer Park out? I think it’s struggling in finding an obvious connection. And you remember that gallery I promised you I’d visit next month? We will surely go after I settle few things down, okay?

Chanyeol frowned, rereading the message once more to be sure about its content.  
Baekhyun would never mention something about a gallery without any reason.  
“Which is the, uhm, gallery you have to visit with Baekhyun…?” Chanyeol asked him briefly, moving his stare back on Sehun and he frowned shortly too.  
“Don’t you have more important matters to ask me…?” Sehun started saying but Chanyeol shook his head shortly, repeating his questions and Sehun was about to reply when his stare moved on the board with the pictures Chanyeol just put on.  
“You already know, I see. Nam is a famous collector and owns few galleries as I do. He’s a banker usually but he has some interesting private collection” Sehun explained, shortly gesturing toward Nam’s picture and making Chanyeol frown even deeper.  
What the actual fuck?  
Why Baekhyun never mentioned it to him?  
If Sehun met Nam and knew about his galleries, then Baekhyun knew about them for sure.  
“Tell me more about this Nam and his galleries” Chanyeol whispered, fingers carding through his hair and leaning on a desk, ready to listen to Sehun.  
Sehun hummed shortly, frowning.  
“Did something happen to hyung?” Sehun asked him and Chanyeol breathed deeply before nodding shortly.  
“He… put himself in a hell of situation and now we want to help him out, but he’s not… cooperative about this?” Chanyeol replied trying to sound convincing and Sehun looked at him interested, trying to understand what he meant but then he nodded briefly.  
“I would do whatever for hyung, so I’m more than willing to help. You want to know about Nam, right?” Sehun asked them and Chanyeol was perplexed by the whatever used by Sehun and for a moment he asked himself how much Baekhyun meant to Sehun, but then he simply nodded, hinting Sehun to talk.  
Sehun inhaled deeply before sitting on one of the chairs in the room and looking at Chanyeol.  
“Nam has few galleries. He always was a bit secretive about his artists and how he managed to have some artworks that were… difficult to find, let’s say like this” Sehun started saying and Chanyeol frowned shortly, nodding.  
“I don’t know exactly which is the relationship between hyung and Nam but they knew, more than acquaintances because they were fan of the same art panorama. I heard Nam calling him with a strange nickname once, but now I don’t remember. It was something intimate though, not a nickname you would use for someone you barely know or that is just part of your same field of research” Sehun continued, touching his chin with his fingers, pensive and Chanyeol frowned shortly.  
Baekhyun never hinted neither to personal relation with Nam.  
He called him by surname, as if he spoke of someone he didn’t know.  
“And you didn’t ask Baekhyun about it?” Chanyeol inquired again and Sehun nodded shortly, shrugging his shoulders.  
“Hyung simply stated that his brother would have killed him if he knew that hyung was in the same place with Nam for more than five minutes. And he was really worried about that, like he had something to hide” Sehun breathed, now frowning shortly like realizing something only in that moment.  
“Sehun?” Chanyeol asked him and Sehun bit his bottom lip in thought.  
“Detective Byun knew Nam pretty well too. They were like classmates or something like that, for what hyung said. Once he said that his brother had two best friends in the past, but that after his career in police they grew apart” Sehun stated and his frown got deeper and deeper, like he was realizing how his words were important only in that moment too.  
“One was Nam but the other…?” Jondae commented, surprising Chanyeol who was clearly agreeing though and shifting his stare back to Sehun.  
“Detective Kang Woonho” Sehun whispered, carding his fingers through his hair and shifting his stare away.  
And for how much shocked by the news Chanyeol was, he felt like Sehun knew something more than that.  
“Sehun…? If there’s anything else, share it with us. It’s an important matter at the moment and Baekhyun’s life could be in danger” Chanyeol insisted, shortly, nearing Sehun and putting a hand on his shoulder, making Sehun inhale deeply.  
“They grew apart because of hyung. I… don’t know the details but hyung once told me that his brother’s life was a mess due to hyung’s whole existence. His brother was asked to do something due to Baekhyun’s mistakes in the past, or so it seemed from what hyung said” Sehun breathed shortly, fingers carding through his hair and glancing toward Chanyeol.  
“It’s… worst than a simple theft, right?” Sehun asked him and Chanyeol patted gently on his shoulders even if in his head the gears were running so wildly that they almost made smoke.  
And thinking about smoke, made him think again of Baekhyun and how he was smiling, almost relaxed while he had a cigarette between his fingers or on his lips.  
He shook the imagine away from his mind.  
Not the right moment to be weak or soft for Baekhyun.  
“I have one last question for you” Chanyeol whispered and Sehun frowned briefly, looking at him perplexed.  
“Our thief mentioned that they want to steal the King Sejong’s heavenly crown. You know what they are referring to?” Chanyeol asked him and Sehun frowned even deeper, looking between Chanyeol and the pictures on the board, again and again.  
“You are… testing me, officer? Because I don’t like it…?” Sehun started saying but Chanyeol frowned shortly, looking at the board too.  
“Does… Nam have it in one of his galleries?” Chanyeol asked him and Sehun nodded briefly, picking up his phone and googleing something before showing the results to Chanyeol.  
On the page there was an article on how Nam’s galleries were holding a special exposition of Kim Sejong’s treasure, including the crown.  
Chanyeol inhaled deeply and, fuck, Baekhyun was an idiot.  
What was he looking for?  
And Nam did know that Baekhyun was on his traces?  
Did he still was friend with Kang?  
And Kang was involved in any way with what was happening or he knew nothing about it?  
But then Chanyeol remembered how Kang’s image appeared out of Baekhyun’s research that night in December.  
“It’s my fault…” Chanyeol whispered, finally realizing what changed between the night prior and the present day.  
Chanyeol told Baekhyun about Kang Woonho and even though Baekhyun pretended not to remember why he even was looking for that from the start, he instead knew perfectly and probably was the missing puzzle piece to whatever happened in his head.  
They all frowned not understanding Chanyeol’s sentence, but he was already running his fingers through his hair, starting to walk up and down in the room.  
“Yesterday I told him about detective Kang and… it must have some connection even if I can’t fucking see it! Damn it! Why he didn’t tell me about it?” Chanyeol groaned lowly, shaking his head and Jondae inhaled deeply, before nearing Chanyeol.  
“Hey, there must be a clue, a proof, someone who knows something…” Jondae whispered trying to calm him down and Chanyeol was on the verge of explosion when Jongin spoke up out of nothing for the first time since that thing started.  
“Why don’t we ask about the only persons who knew something about Baekhyun since the very start?” Jongin proposed and Chanyeol firstly frowned even deeper but then he nodded briefly, like it was the best idea possible.  
“They don’t have a great relationship, for not being rude, but I’m sure that they may remember something. And we could know more about Baekbom too” Chanyeol stated nodding and moving to pick up his jacket.  
“Myeon, Seok, please stay here and try to know how much possible on detective Kang. Discreetly. He doesn’t have to suspect in the slightest that we are asking around” Chanyeol started saying, earning a martial salute from both who left the room, making Yixing frown shortly at the immediate response.  
“Zhang you can do what you want but not a fucking word on detective Kang” Chanyeol stated and his tone was definitive and not admitting replies.  
And even before Yixing could reply, Chanyeol’s stare moved on Jongin.  
“You will go with Sehun to see how these Nam’s galleries are. Try to understand where the crown is and how Baekhyun could try and steal it. It’s the first time we have a prenotice of a theft, let’s not get it wasted” Chanyeol ordered and Jongin nodded, moving toward Sehun.  
“Mr. Oh, if you want to come with me” he started toward Sehun who nodded shortly, sitting up and before leaving the room he turned around looking toward Chanyeol.  
“I don’t know what’s happening but please find him. And don’t let him do anything stupid. His brother’s death meant a lot to him and he could do… whatever to avenge him” Sehun whispered before bowing shortly toward Yixing and going away.  
Chanyeol inhaled deeply and he totally knew it.  
He knew how Baekhyun loved his brother.  
And how much he was willing to do just to find whoever did that to Baekbom and make them pay for their crime.  
“Dae, let’s go visit Baekhyun’s parents. For sure they know something more about their sons’ teenage years” Chanyeol concluded, putting on the jacket and Jondae nodded following him.  
They moved in silence, lost in their thoughts, especially Jondae who was still processing the whole Baekhyun is Fearless Light.  
“I’m sorry for hiding it from you too” Chanyeol whispered shortly, while he was driving toward the house of Baekhyun’s parents.  
Jondae inhaled deeply, shaking his head.  
“I’m… a bit shocked but I kinda understand why Baek did it. I would like to speak about it with him, though. I have so many questions” Jondae muttered, shifting his stare outside the window and Chanyeol inhaled equally deep.  
“You don’t know how many…” he added and when Jondae frowned, moving his stare on Chanyeol, Chanyeol hinted shortly a small house with the garden.  
“It’s here” he stated nearing the pavement and parking the car.  
The house was a small house on two stores, pastel painted and with a small garden and a small, barking dog.  
Chanyeol pressed the bell button and waited.  
From the inside a woman on her fifty exited, perplexed from the sudden visit and frowning even more when Chanyeol showed her his police badge.  
She opened the gate, gesturing them to enter.  
“Officers, what can I help you with?” she asked them shortly even though her tone was forced and she was clearly feigning interest for whatever Chanyeol and Jondae were doing there.  
“We have some questions on your sons” Chanyeol stated shortly, forcing a short smile, trying to be polite but he was already itching inside.  
He didn’t like that woman.  
She was slightly shorter than Jondae, hair black but with a hint of silver here and there, and her fingers were slender almost like Baekhyun’s.  
She inhaled deeply at the mention of her sons.  
“My older son died a lot of years ago already and the younger one… I haven’t seen him recently” she stated, forcing her smile even more, especially when she spoke about her younger son.  
“Were they… good brothers? Went along well?” Jondae asked her shortly and she frowned briefly, touching her chin with her fingers before nodding shortly.  
“I think yes, yes. Baekhyun, the younger son, always followed Baekbom around. They were friends, not only brothers yes” she stated even though, once again, her tone was forced and she was clearly only pretending on maintaining the perfect family image.  
“Because we are working on some discrepancies on the case detective Byun was working on when he left us, and we would like some questions about his friends outside police. You know… just for double checking?” Jondae continued shortly, trying to be polite too but the woman immediately straightened her back, shaking her head.  
“What are you saying? Is it about Baekhyun? Did he screw up something again?” she asked and now her tone was acid, clearly annoyed by the mention.  
“No, madam, he disappeared and…” Jondae started saying, trying to ease her and explain why they were asking about something so old, but she chuckled shaking her head.  
“Oh, for heavens’ sake, at least he won’t do any idiocy again” she interrupted him, making both Chanyeol and Jondae frowning shortly at the sudden change in her behavior.  
“What kind of idiocies?” Chanyeol asked her briefly and she inhaled shortly, shaking her head.  
“Shouldn’t you know already? They are all register in police archive since you arrested him several times. And his brother always refused to help him to clear his records, despite how much we asked him to. Bom was… irremovable. He has to assume his responsibilities for his actions, he said but he didn’t know that that was already tainting our reputation. Not to mention how the other guy who was with him had someone covering his ass up, so wasn’t even mentioned while Baekhyun lost his work for that” she explained, clicked her tongue soundly, annoyed and Chanyeol tried to collocate what she was saying in the right moment in what they knew of Byun brothers and what Yixing told them.  
Baekhyun lost his work, so it meant that he was already working after university when that episode happened.  
But following Yixing’s words, Baekhyun was arrested when he was underage.  
So it meant that, despite everything, Baekhyun still had something fishy going on even after being arrested, while he was working with the police, and not hearing of his brother’s advice.  
Maybe it was that that Yixing was referring to with all the things he had to menace Baekhyun to stay and work as consultant for the police.  
“And… you said there was another guy, right? You remember the name?” Chanyeol asked her shortly, shrugging his shoulders, trying to find a silver lining in all of that.  
“It was Baekbom’s fake-friend. I heard that know he’s a famous banker… I thought that Nam was his surname” Baekhyun’s mother stated and Chanyeol had to bite down on his lips not to let out another swear.  
But … what the hell?  
Baekhyun had something illegal with Nam?  
And of which nature?  
Did Baekbom know about it too?  
Did that matter with his death or was it totally unrelated?  
Even before Chanyeol could process all of that, the door behind them opened and a middle aged man entered, frowning seeing them there.  
“Who are they?” he asked to the woman and she smiled shortly at him.  
“They are officers, dear” she replied and the man, obviously Baekhyun’s father, frowned deeply glaring at them.  
“What the hell do they want here?” he asked shortly and Chanyeol forced a short smile.  
“We were…” he started saying but Baekhyun’s mother spoke up.  
“It seems that he did something else. He disappeared, or so it seems” she stated and the man shrugged his shoulders, shaking his head.  
“Let him stay where he is. He could be dead for how much it concerns me, it would be better” he stated, making Chanyeol frown immediately at the harshness of the statement.  
And he wanted to comment but Jondae swiftly pulled at his sleeve, shaking his head.  
“So you know nothing of where he went? Or if he was doing something recently?” Jondae asked them and the man shook his head again, letting out a sarcastic laugh.  
“Do you think I matter of what he is or isn’t doing? We saw him last time after Baekbom’s death. Poor son, so young and tainted by his younger brother. A horrible end” he stated shortly making clear what was his consideration about Baekhyun and Baekbom.  
“We don’t know where he is and neither want to know. And if his disappearance or his death could bring back Baekbom, we wouldn’t hesitate a second officer. Now please leave me and my wife alone. We don’t like speaking about the loss of our only child” he concluded and Chanyeol wanted so bad to punch that man in his face, but Jondae pulled again at his sleeve, simply bowing shortly and going away.  
Chanyeol was fuming when they reached again his car.  
“Those fuckers! Did you hear them? How they talked about their only son and about substituting Baekhyun’s life for Baekbom’s?” Chanyeol asked Jondae when he started the engine and Jondae inhaled deeply, nodding.  
“It’s awful, really. I don’t want to imagine what Baekhyun lived through all these years” Jondae whispered softly but, even before Chanyeol could comment in any ways, Jondae spoke up again.  
“However, they gave us something useful too. Nam was involved in something illegal with Baek and while he lost his work, nothing happened to Nam” Jondae noted and Chanyeol frowned shortly nodding his head and trying once again to go through all the knew.  
Who was Nam for Baekhyun?  
They were together for some reasons?  
Like lovers or something like that?  
Or was it for business reasons?  
Could it be that Nam proposed Baekhyun to work together with him, probably from stealing things before he asked to Santos and company?  
And Baekhyun’s mother stated that Baekbom refused to cover Baekhyun’s mistakes, but still there wasn’t anything on Baekhyun’s police records.  
Was it again Yixing’s doing?  
Chanyeol inhaled deeply, shaking his head and nothing seemed to have sense.  
What was he missing?  
Did Yixing really tell him all the story behind Baekhyun and Baekbom or not?  
What there was inside Baekhyun’s secret folder?  
And in the one that Yixing had on him?  
They went back to the headquarters and Chanyeol hoped that the others had something more on the whole matter.  
Everyone was back as them, but slightly brighter than them, results probably being better than their owns.  
“Kang Woonho is almost a deity inside here, boss. It was difficult knowing something about him without alarming anyone” Junmyeon started saying and Chanyeol nodded briefly, making him gesture to speak up nevertheless.  
“He has several decorations and honors. Perfect in all his years of service, he is slightly older than how detective Byun should be right now, but they worked a lot together. It seems like he was his instructor when detective Byun became a rookie in police” Junmyeon started saying and Chanyeol hummed briefly and for how much that was a nice story, there wasn’t anything helpful for them.  
“Nothing else?” Chanyeol asked them and Junmyeon chuckled softly, nodding.  
“He was friend with detective Byun since he was in elementary school. It seems that Kang is older only of two years and they attended same school” he added and Chanyeol whistled in surprise.  
A long time friendship then.  
“And it’s not all. You know who other went to school with them?” Minseok asked him, opening a school annal and showing it to Chanyeol who already guessed without seeing the picture.  
“Nam” he whispered, seeing the photo of that fucking bastard who started to get on his nerves even if he never had the pleasure to meet him.  
“So… long story short, Nam and Baek did something illegal and while Kang covered up Nam’s mistakes and he exited the whole thing clean, detective Byun didn’t want to guarantee for Baekhyun who lost his work place?” Jondae started saying, frowning deeply and only in that moment from the door, Yixing appeared out of nowhere.  
Again.  
Scaring the shit out of everyone.  
“It wasn’t like this” he stated and Chanyeol frowned shortly sitting up and looking at him.  
“And how is it?” Chanyeol asked him, nearing him and Yixing shook his head.  
“Don’t let Baek’s parents convince you that he’s someone you don’t know” Yixing whispered softly before giving him a thick file full of papers and photos.  
“Baek lost his work, in favor of detective Byun’s honor. He was the major suspect in the Dark thief case since he knew so well everything about this thief and he could almost prevent his moves, but after detective Byun’s death, we received pressure for closing the case quickly and erasing all the previous agreement with Baek. He continued working with us, because I asked him, and it was an agreement within us. He never came to the station again exactly for this reason. He’s just a smartass antiquities seller and I’m just Mister Y. We sometimes exchange information and that’s it. Despite him being the best profiler I’ve ever worked with” Yixing started explaining, pushing again the folder toward Chanyeol that finally picked it up.  
“How does this match with Nam and Kang then?” Chanyeol asked him and Yixing shortly hinted with his head toward the folder.  
“Baek… filed charges for a big prostitution affair that was going on from years. There’s why there’s no charges on his police record. He negotiated a plea bargain, offering not only names, numbers and places where all this shit happened but also helping us with some affiliated cases, showing his predisposition to investigation, maybe even better than his brother’s. That’s how I knew better detective Byun and how… he loved his brother, but he was equally using him for his cleverness and acuity” Yixing continued, fingers carding through his hair and sighing again deeply.  
“Baek had to do all alone after his arrest. His brother didn’t move a single finger for him and Baek still acclaimed him as the best person in the world, his savior. I don’t know how things went between them, but to me it was clear that detective Byun didn’t want Baek to mess with his career and left him take care of his own business” Yixing added, shrugging his shoulders, but it seemed strange to Chanyeol especially seeing how much Baekhyun spoke fondly of his brother.  
“What about Nam and Kang?” he asked again and Yixing chuckled softly, shaking his head, gesturing again the folder.  
It seemed that in that folder there were all the replies that nor Baekhyun nor Yixing ever gave him.  
“Nam was one of the promoters of all that shit. And he had a preferred type, you know? One that only he had at his own pleasure and desire” Yixing stated even if his tone now was disgusted more than everything else and Chanyeol gripped harder on the folder, already knowing what Yixing was about to say.  
And despite knowing it, he didn’t want to hear it.  
“Don’t. I… imagine I will read it inside here, right?” Chanyeol whispered lowering his eyes on the folder that Yixing gave him and Yixing nodded shortly.  
“I’m sorry, officer Park. For not bringing all this shit out before, but I had an agreement with Baek and my hands were tied by the secrecy agreement he signed for his testimony. And because, well… Shitty past is like karma, always comes and finds you when you expect it least” Yixing added making Chanyeol nod shortly, before moving his stare on his squad, inhaling deeply.  
“Yeol…” Jondae started saying, but Chanyeol shook his head.  
“Baekhyun is not involved in anything illegal. Not anymore. Now let’s focus on preventing tonight’s happenings. Jongin? How was the gallery?” he asked him, bringing the folder to his desk and putting it on the third drawer, before locking it with the small key.  
Jongin sat up nodding shortly.  
“Nam received the same card we did. I had the pleasure to speak only with his lawyer, not with him, but he said that most probably they won’t need police because that is the most secured and guarded place in the world even more than the Federal Bank” Jongin started saying and Chanyeol raised his eyebrow in perplexity, clearly having heard that bullshit so many times before that he wanted almost to throw up.  
“But he added that if police is willing to send some spectators to see how real security is made, they are more than welcomed” Jongin continued making Chanyeol’s eyes grew larger in perplexity.  
“What the fuck? This fucker!” he growled lowly, shaking his head annoyed by the whole discourse, but letting Jongin finish.  
“However, hyung, if I have to be honest the place is really well guarded. I don’t know how Baekhyun-hyung is planning to steal that thing, but I really would like to see it” Jongin concluded and Sehun nodded near him.  
“The place has alarms, security cameras, guardians going literally everywhere and so few escapes or exits” Sehun confirmed too, making Chanyeol frown even deeper before he could inhale deeply.  
“I… want you all of you on this tonight. So… go home and rest a bit. We will see in front of Nam Galleries tonight at six, not later. Come in plain clothes but armed” Chanyeol ordered and when Jondae tried to object, he shook his head.  
“Please. I’m asking you as a friend more than as your superior in this moment. Go fucking home and stay there until tonight. No heroic gesture no other shits” he stated softly, sitting at his own desk.  
“Baekhyun’s safety is our top priority. Nam’s guards won’t hesitate if they catch him” Chanyeol added before dismissing them and almost forcing them out of the office.  
He remained only with Sehun and Yixing.  
“I’ll go home too. Tonight I’ll come to the galleries too, though. And you can’t stop me from doing it” Sehun stated sitting up too and Chanyeol frowned but then shrugged his shoulders.  
“Don’t get yourself killed. Baekhyun wouldn’t forgive me if I let you die under my watch” Chanyeol simply replied and Sehun chuckled softly, waiving his hand and going away too.  
There was a short silence and then Yixing spoke up.  
“After you read that, decide yourself what to do about it. I… planned on telling Baekhyun that this was the last time, but now I think it’s better if you do. I hope we will be able to find him tonight and prevent the worst happening possible” Yixing whispered, making Chanyeol’s eyes going wider in perplexity.  
“You… why?” Chanyeol asked softly, trying to understand what made Yixing change his mind and Yixing inhaled deeply, biting his lower lip.  
“Baek really… needs a normal life. And maybe with you around, it’s right moment for him to be only a smartass antiquities seller” Yixing explained briefly, opening in a soft smile before waiving at him too and going away, leaving Chanyeol alone.  
Chanyeol inhaled deeply before opening again the drawer of his desk and opening it, pulling out the thick folder and opening it, not knowing exactly what to expect.  
There were papers and papers of Baekhyun’s declaration about Nam’s activities.  
Apparently Baekhyun didn’t know much about those until he decided to investigate on his own.  
Baekhyun was, as previously said, never paid for whatever he did, especially with Nam who called him his bunny.  
However, when he realized that it wasn’t a thing limited to himself, he started using this weird relationship he had with Nam to investigate on it.  
And Baekhyun was never arrested.  
He went spontaneously to the police station, once he had evidences enough to file a charge against Nam.  
They made it seem like he was arrested just because Baekhyun’s life would be less in danger in the eventuality any of them would ever meet again outside jail or in other cases.  
Chanyeol carded his fingers through his hair, inhaling deeply.  
Baekhyun… had a relationship with Nam.  
But when he suspected that Nam was somehow managing a prostitution affair, instead of leaving him as everyone sane in his head would do, Baekhyun fucking investigate on the matter, spontaneously providing all the details later to the police.  
And that was the reason why Baekbom couldn’t do anything.  
Because Baekhyun was never arrested for that.  
It was his own idea.  
Despite he probably knew that that would ruin his life, career and whatever else.  
And knowing Baekhyun, probably he also consulted his brother before doing it.  
So Baekbom probably agreed with it.  
What the fuck Baekhyun thought in acting like that?  
And why he remained with Nam despite knowing he was the horrible person he was?  
Chanyeol had his revelation in an instant.  
He remembered Baekhyun’s words.  
I would have done everything for that warmth feeling.  
Baekhyun simply wanted a bit of warmth and the illusion of being loved and cherished by somebody.  
Whoever was fine.  
That was also the reason why Baekhyun thought that he didn’t deserve anymore nor love nor anything good in that world.  
Because he did enough bad things in his opinion, that he was condemned to an existence of isolation that he granted and alimented with his smartass replies and cocky attitude.  
Chanyeol inhaled deeply, fingers browsing through all the papers containing all the details Baekhyun told to the police and he was about to close it up to put it again in the drawer, when a picture attracted his attention.  
It was a photo of Baekhyun’s back.  
The two scars were so red and vivid, probably recent, but the longer scar was already… old.  
And not few years old, but many years old.  
How old Baekhyun was when his father did that to him?  
Apparently Baekbom didn’t know about it but… was it true?  
Chanyeol inhaled deeply, fingers gently going to the picture of Baekhyun on the first paper of the folder.  
He was younger but clearly him, hair slightly messier and a bit of dark circles around his eyes.  
Chanyeol… missed him a lot.  
Even though they saw each other only the night prior, all the situation made him feel unstable, worried and even more sure of his own feelings toward Baekhyun.  
Because only Baekhyun could do something like investigating on a fucker like Nam without involving nobody and then bringing the police a shit-ton of information, even while knowing that would cost him something more precious than his work in a museum.  
Chanyeol stayed there a bit more, thinking about Baekhyun and about that night, trying to imagine all the possible scenarios, all the things that could happen, if Nam knew already what Baekhyun was going to do, if they would manage to exit that situation unharmed.  
He closed his eyes, inhaling deeply, putting away again the folder and he was about to sit up to go to the parking place and drive to the galleries, when his phone vibrated in his pockets.  
He picked it up, frowning at the unknown number on the screen.  
“Hello?” he tried briefly, not knowing who it was on the other side.  
“Your voice is almost sexy over the phone, officer” Baekhyun’s voice came up softly, low and fuck, Chanyeol missed him even more in that moment.  
And the way Baekhyun called him officer always had something way too pleasant in it.  
“Where are you?” Chanyeol asked him, worried but Baekhyun let out a tired chuckle on the other side of the call.  
“You know where. But don’t try to stop me, it’s not wise” Baekhyun replied shortly and Chanyeol inhaled deeply, biting his own lip.  
“Let me help you, then” he proposed back, earning a short silence from Baekhyun before he could chuckle softly again, this time a bit brighter.  
“You are so cute, officer, really. But I don’t need your help. I’ll settle everything down, finally. For Bom” Baekhyun whispered briefly and Chanyeol could hear him inhaled deeply, probably smoking.  
“What does Kang matter with your brother?” Chanyeol asked him briefly and Baekhyun hummed shortly, drawing longer on the cigarette before replying.  
Baekhyun always did it when he was thinking.  
“Helped Nam out of all that shit I put him in. And when Bom tried to accuse him for covering it up, Woonho killed him. Despite in the past they were friends, despite swearing that they would protect and served justice forever. He didn’t even flinch when he knew all the things Nam did to those girls and boys. He told all his colleagues that detective Byun’s brother was a slut who couldn’t take competition anymore because he was getting too old for the market. And my brother was… fuming. He couldn’t take it, even when I said that I didn’t mind and they could say whatever they wanted about me, as long as that wouldn’t taint his possibilities of advancing in his career” Baekhyun explained softly, voice getting lower before he could puff out a bit more of smoke.  
“Instead… we all know how it went, no? All because I was… egoist. So self-centered in my own ideas of doing the right thing and trying to help him out, that instead I pulled him down, getting him killed” Baekhyun concluded, voice low and sad.  
“You know it’s not your fault” Chanyeol stated but Baekhyun huffed shortly, probably shaking his head.  
“I didn’t call you to hear you say that it’s not my fault and that you will help me. I… just wanted to hear your voice once more. Because despite this morning message and promising myself that I wouldn’t have called you, I…” Baekhyun started saying but something interrupted him, making him stop saying whatever.  
There was a short silence and then Baekhyun spoke up again.  
“I… need to go now. Thank you for sticking around for a while. See ya” he concluded and Chanyeol was already stating a brief Baek, wait when the line went silent and the call disconnected.  
Chanyeol tried to call him back immediately but there was immediately the calling machine, sign that Baekhyun turned off the phone.  
Chanyeol for the first time in forever, wanted to cry.  
Because it wasn’t fair, and he missed Baekhyun so much already and that phone call made things only worse.  
He wanted to see him, hug him, kiss all over his face.  
Simply spending a cozy afternoon on the couch watching some old superheroes movie.  
Taking him outside to some dates, even if Chanyeol wasn’t exactly expert in dates, just to show him how much he still deserved to be loved and cherished.  
And not because of that warm feeling there was after sex, but because Chanyeol loved him.  
Chanyeol inhaled again deeply, finally sitting up.  
After checking that the drawer was closed, he picked up his jacket and went to the parking place, driving his car until Nam galleries.  
Whatever meant to happen, Chanyeol was ready.  
Because he would have done whatever to protect Baekhyun.

After a small debriefing with all his squad plus Sehun and Yixing, Chanyeol started to wander around the galleries, always remaining in the zone of King Sejong’s crown, just to be sure that nothing would happen without him knowing about it.  
All of a sudden, the lights went out and in the few instants that it took the emergency powerhouse to start back, and the crown was gone.  
Chanyeol was… astounded.  
How was it possible?  
Where Baekhyun came from?  
And where did he go?  
Chanyeol tried to stop and think about how Baekhyun would act, trying to ignore the alarms and the underground noises.  
Where?  
How?  
Chanyeol inhaled deeply, trying to remember the blueprint Jongin showed him that morning.  
If he couldn’t go higher due to the controls, then maybe… lower?  
There was a huge ass basement under the building which was apparently unused!  
Chanyeol moved quickly toward the fire escape stairs and bringing with him Jondae that was near him.  
“I know where’s Baekhyun. Let’s go” he simply stated and Jondae followed him without even asking him anything else.  
The basement was… huger than expected.  
And emptier.  
There really was nothing and it was difficult to hide if not behind equally huge reinforced concrete pillars.  
Out of the silence, Baekhyun’s voice spoke up.  
“I know you waited for me here, Nam” Baekhyun stated, loudly, voice echoing in all the basement and Chanyeol looked toward Jondae to understand if he was able to see him, but Jondae shook his head.  
They moved slowly, hands on their guns, ready to whatever may happen.  
Chanyeol gestured Jondae also to turn on his personal recorder in order to register every single word.  
“Ah, Bunny. Such a pity meeting again, in these conditions. I would have preferred you on my laps again as all those times in the past. Wouldn’t it be pleasant?” a man voice asked back, making Baekhyun chuckle sarcastically.  
“Pleasant would be finally spitting on your face, Nam. Because you are a fucking jerk and Woonho helped you out of the shit, killing my brother” Baekhyun retorted making Nam snort shortly.  
“You are mistaking, bunny. It was Baekbom’s fault. He should have stayed with us and everybody would have been happy and rich. But no, you had to go and spit out everything… I thought we had something, bunny, something deeper and pleasant than this” Nam continued but Baekhyun didn’t reply immediately.  
Chanyeol and Jondae moved again, going nearer to where the voice came from and finally seeing also Baekhyun.  
And in that moment, also Nam who finally revealed himself to Baekhyun.  
Baekhyun was wearing all black, way skinner than usual, and in one hand he had King Sejong’s crown and in the other his gun.  
“You haven’t changed” Baekhyun stated, seeing Nam and the man smiled unctuously at him, opening his arms.  
“Come on, bunny. Put that down and let’s talk a bit?” Nam asked him but Baekhyun shook his head.  
“Tell me if it was you or Woonho to kill my brother. Who of you?” Baekhyun asked him back, aiming his gun toward Nam, more decided than ever to know who of them killed Baekbom.  
“No one of us” another voice stated and Chanyeol recognized it as Kang’s.  
He appeared from behind Nam, pointing his gun toward Baekhyun who didn’t falter nor moved his own.  
“You are lying. Bom went out that night to meet someone, and it wasn’t for that undercover shit mission you gave him. It was because he got a call that night, Jae was worried and called me asking me if I knew something. Because you put us together in that shit. And I should have realized immediately it was you all along, but I wanted to trust that old friendship you had with my brother” Baekhyun stated, adding even more particulars to the story he told Chanyeol.  
And Jae knew about that too?  
Why he didn’t tell him anything?  
How much he trusted Baekhyun?  
“It was you two all along, right?” Baekhyun asked them but Nam blurted out a soundly laughter.  
“Your brother was such a useless detective who didn’t love you in the slightest. When they arrested you, he didn’t do anything to save your sorry ass from there. He just let you rot with that Chinese officer” Nam stated cackling, trying to hurt Baekhyun even more, this time with words and with things that weren’t true on his brother.  
But Baekhyun didn’t flinch in the slightest.  
“You are mistaking, Nam. I… never got arrested. I went there on my own, to accuse you of all the shit you were doing. And you were oh so good, treating me oh so well. Your preferred slut, right? Especially since I didn’t cost you a single won. Well, know you know what your Bunny got as payment for his services” Baekhyun retorted and Nam’s expression changed immediately, deforming in a red angry face.  
“What? How dare you? You dirty little bitch!” he shouted and Baekhyun chuckled softly shaking his head.  
“Oh, don’t whine too much. You even escaped it oh so gracefully thanks to Woonho…” Baekhyun stated, gesturing toward Kang who snorted shortly.  
“Just to get here at this, Baekhyun. Because you always knew that I was the Dark thief, right? You just needed proofs, evidences, no? Because why a detective of Seoul Metropolitan Police should be also a thief and so smart, elaborate and elusive as the Dark thief?” Kang asked him, making Baekhyun hummed shortly, nodding.  
“I knew it, yes. But… didn’t tell it to anybody exactly for the lack of proofs. It was… frustrating. I couldn’t understand why you were doing it. Especially when you were such a role model once, together with my brother” Baekhyun replied, way too honestly, making both Chanyeol and Jondae flinch, astonished that Baekhyun really knew who was the Dark thief all along.  
“And you found my reason?” Kang asked him and Baekhyun… nodded shortly.  
“It was for your ego, right? Luckily you didn’t have big cases so you created one, the most colossal and sensational case you could build up with your strength alone” Baekhyun stated, shrugging his shoulders, nodding again toward Nam.  
“At the beginning you thought that Nam ruined everything right? But then you had a marvelous idea and pressured Xing so much, knowing that he would have come find me to ask me a help with this case. And the idea of the fake thief is not Xing’s, it’s yours. Even though I was better as Fearless Light than you as Dark thief and you wanted to see how far this farce could go” Baekhyun continued softly nodding and Kang clapped his hands, nodding too.  
“You are so genial, Baekhyun, and I always knew that between the Byun brothers, the detective was you, not Baekbom” he retorted and Baekhyun snorted shaking his head.  
But even before he could add whatever, Kang spoke up again.  
“And you know also how this thing will go, right?” he asked him and even before Chanyeol, Baekhyun or Jondae could intervene, Kang shot Nam in his head, making him drop dead without any other hesitance.  
“Ah… such a sad story. Fearless Light tried to escape with King Sejong’s crown and Dark thief stopped and killed him, remaining killed in the conflict” Kang continued, pointing his gun toward Baekhyun who chuckled shortly, shaking his head.  
“You plan to kill me, nevertheless. So please, tell me. Did you kill my brother? Or was it Nam?” Baekhyun whispered, passive resignation in what was about to happen, but Kang shook his head.  
“You… don’t realized it yet? You found my fingerprints there because I was the first one to arrive there because I was in the nearby area, but Baekbom didn’t have an appointment with me or him, that night” Kang stated making Baekhyun frown even deeper, shaking his head, lips parting like he wanted to say something but Kang spoke up again.  
“You know it already, no? Who was the only other person? The one you always suspected of because didn’t have any alibi and yet a lot to gain from Baekbom’s death?” Kang asked him, shrugging his shoulders but Baekhyun was already shaking his head.  
“You are lying” Baekhyun stated and his voice cracked slightly, making Kang chuckle, shaking his head too.  
“You know that’s the truth. He was the only one who always wished you both a premature death, that didn’t want any of you but was oh so sad when Baekbom died and also oh so glad about that ton of money that Baekbom would have left them if you and Jae would disappeared!” Kang stated and Baekhyun bit his lips, shaking his head.  
And was Kang hinting to the possibility that Baekhyun’s father killed Baekbom?  
“And now, I will make him a bit happier. Even though our focuses are different, apparently they are going in the same way” Kang stated and Baekhyun shook his head again.  
“I have to speak with him…” Baekhyun muttered but Kang shook his head too.  
“Your time’s over, Baekhyun. Say hello to Baekbom when you will meet him” Kang stated and in that moment Chanyeol and Jondae finally exited from where they were hiding.  
“Seoul Metropolitan Police, lower you gun and raise your hands above your head!” Chanyeol stated pointing the gun toward Kang who was surprised of seeing them there, but tried the way of I found the suspect, arrest him.  
Chanyeol shook his head shortly, gesturing Jondae to check out Baekhyun while he neared Kang.  
“We heard everything, detective Kang and have a registration to prove it” Chanyeol stated cautiously nearing him but Kang took steps back.  
“No, I won’t go to jail. I’m… a justice representative. I can’t go to jail” Kang stated pointing his gun again toward Baekhyun and Chanyeol pointed his gun too.  
“Detective Kang, please. Lower your gun and let’s…” Chanyeol started saying but Kang fired his gun, shooting in Baekhyun’s direction.  
Chanyeol tackled him, trying to diverge the trajectory, pushing him to the ground and cuffing him, immediately looking behind himself and seeing Baekhyun falling on the ground.  
“Baek!” Jondae shouted but Chanyeol ran toward him too, gesturing Jondae to stay with Kang and call for support while he called an ambulance.  
Baekhyun was injured on his abdomen, on the right side, and Chanyeol pressed hard his hand on it, picking up his phone.  
“Officer Park here, we are in the basement of Nam Galleries, civilian is deeply injured at the abdomen and he’s losing a lot of blood. Send help urgently” he stated, pressing harder his hand on Baekhyun’s injury, making him hiss shortly.  
“Roger that, officer Park. Sending ambulance immediately, please provide first assistance if possible” the voice replied and Chanyeol pulled at his own necktie, balling it up and pressing it better on Baekhyun.  
There was so much blood and Chanyeol knew that the situation wasn’t good at all.  
It gave him the worst feeling possible.  
Not that Chanyeol haven’t seen blood before, but that much only made him think that things were going bad.  
“Don’t… press too much, officer” Baekhyun whispered softly, voice barely there.  
“Save your breath for something better, idiot” Chanyeol retorted, forcing a short smile, trying to think positively despite everything and Baekhyun huffed shortly, shaking his head.  
“The reply was always there, and I didn’t want to see it. I’m sorry…” Baekhyun added and when Chanyeol shook his head again, trying to speak up, Baekhyun gently caressed his cheek, fingers warm and stained with his own blood.  
“And I’m sorry also because I couldn’t manage to tell you the most important thing” he concluded, passing out in Chanyeol’s arms.  
“No, no, no… you can’t pass out on me like this” Chanyeol started, touching his face with his free hand and when nothing happened, he started shaking his head, pressing harder on the injury, speaking randomly.  
It could end like that, right?  
Chanyeol had still the world of things to tell to Baekhyun and he simply wanted to see him again smiling and blurting out those smartass replies that Chanyeol came to appreciate even though he hated them at the beginning.  
He wanted to caress his hair again, kiss him again, hug him like he never had before and simply tell him that everything was going to be fine and that Baekhyun could lean on him and trust him.  
“I thought that once I saw you again I would tell you how much I love you, that I want to spend all the other years of our lives together, and I was ready also in not knowing anything about Nam and your brother and fuck off all the rest if only you could be with me” Chanyeol whispered, feeling tears coming up to his eyes and in that moment he heard a door opening somewhere and voices and then people with red jackets with cross on them, nearing Baekhyun with IVs and other first aid objects.  
“Officer… Officer” one of them called him and Chanyeol nodded trying to focus back again on whatever was happening.  
“Someone has to come with him…” the woman told him and Chanyeol nodded shortly, and honestly he didn’t remember anything else if not asking Jondae if everything was under control and Jondae shouting fuck off and go.  
And he went directly to the hospital.  
Baekhyun went and came during the journey to the hospital and once in ER a nurse had to almost push Chanyeol out of the surgery because Chanyeol didn’t want to leave Baekhyun for a second.  
And he waited.  
And waited.  
And waited again.  
“Boss!” Junmyeon called him running in the corridor, followed by the others too.  
“Guys…” Chanyeol whispered and felt again the tears coming to his eyes and… what could he do without Baekhyun?  
He was a fleeting presence since the beginning but Chanyeol wanted him so bad to stay.  
To stay and never leave again and instead they were in that situation and Chanyeol wasn’t quick enough, wasn’t ready enough and he promised Jae not to hurt Baekhyun, but he let him get shot.  
Chanyeol hesitated also on the phone, when Baekhyun called him that afternoon.  
Didn’t ask him if he was good.  
If he wasn’t smoking too much.  
He didn’t tell him that he loved him.  
Chanyeol inhaled deeply and even before he could realize it, all his teammates were around him, hugging him.  
“You did your best, Yeol” Jondae whispered but he shook his head, earning a glare from Junmyeon.  
“You did, boss. And don’t you dare tell something different” Junmyeon commented immediately and when Chanyeol tried to object, Jongin shook his head.  
“Hyung is strong. He will manage for sure” he whispered and Minseok nodded softly, smiling at him.  
“There’s still something you have to tell him, no? And I have the hunch that Baekhyunnie has something to tell you too. So… it’s not the time to part yet” Minseok muttered, making Chanyeol inhaled deeply, hoping from the bottom of his heart that they were all right.  
And after four hours of infinite waiting, in which Junmyeon had to force him to go to the restrooms to wash his hands from Baekhyun’s blood and take a coffee, a doctor came out from the emergency room, smiling shortly despite he was super fatigued and tired.  
“Are you here for, uhm, Baekhyun?” the doctor asked them reading the name from a paper and Chanyeol nodded nearing him immediately.  
“How is he?” Chanyeol asked him and the doctor nodded briefly.  
“Stable. Sleeping at the moment but out of danger. He’s… stronger than it may seem from his built. It will take a while for him to regain consciousness, but he will be fine. Except a bit of pain for… two weeks more or less, time that the stitches close up properly. We will move him in recovery, if you want to go to the second floor too, there’s also an automatic machine and a small bar” he started saying and everyone sighed in relief, finally feeling ease and tiredness seeping in their bodies.  
The doctor, though, neared Chanyeol asking him who was officer Park.  
Chanyeol frowned shortly gesturing toward himself and making the doctor smile softly again.  
“You did good officer, without your help he wouldn’t be here” the doctor concluded before patting gently Chanyeol’s shoulder and going back inside, making Chanyeol breath in, feeling like he was able to breathe again.  
Baekhyun was good.  
He would be fine soon.  
Chanyeol didn’t lose him.  
And wasn’t willing to do it in the near future either.

It wasn’t time to rest, though.  
Chanyeol left the hospital only for twenty minutes, time to go home, take a shower and come back.  
From there he gave orders to his squad about what to do next.  
Nam was dead, obviously, so he couldn’t be prosecuted anymore for his actions and past activities, but Kang was instead alive and well disposed in finding a way to reduce his penalty.  
He told them how he helped Nam in the past by hiding evidences or finding ways to make Baekhyun’s words less credible and not valid for a court.  
And also what happened that night when he witnessed Baekbom’s murder.  
He wanted to speak with Baekbom that night and contacted him, asking him if they could talk once again about something illegal that Kang was setting up.  
However, when he arrived Baekbom was arguing with someone shouting things that at first Kang couldn’t understand, but later, when he identified that he was speaking with Baekbom’s own father, started to make sense.  
Baekbom was angry with the old man, asking something about Baekhyun, Kang didn’t know in the specific case, but Chanyeol knew for sure what he was referring to.  
It was Baekhyun’s scar, the older one, the one he never spoke about and that he thought it was still secret to his brother.  
How Baekbom came to know about that Chanyeol didn’t know and Kang hadn’t any idea too, even though he bet it would be Nam’s doing.  
Baekbom wanted to report his father to the police for what he did to Baekhyun but out of nowhere, his father pulled out a gun and shot him to dead.  
Kang intervened immediately, but for Baekbom there wasn’t anything to do.  
He didn’t do anything legal toward Baekbom’s father because Kang started to blackmail him.  
Nothing concerning Baekhyun, obviously since his father didn’t care in the slightest for the younger son, but with money and way to actually discredit Baekhyun even more, easing Baekhyun’s departure from police station, not an assistant anymore.  
Kang admitted also that Baekhyun was indeed one of the best profiler he ever met and he had to force him out, because he was sure that one day Baekhyun would realize that Kang was Dark thief and at the beginning he didn’t want to stop his illegal activities.  
Later on, though, when he realized that he was getting older, he insisted with Yixing so that he asked Baekhyun’s help once again and they put on that farce of Fearless Light just so that, as Baekhyun already understood, Baekhyun and Nam could kill each other and Kang take all the honors that came from that beautiful action.  
Chanyeol really wanted to leave the hospital just to punch his face so bad, but he didn’t because he wanted to be there when Baekhyun would wake up.  
They also arrested Baekhyun’s father and when they questioned him about what happened, he simply said that Baekbom wanted to report him to the police for something that was his most obvious parental right.  
Luckily enough it was Junmyeon to interrogate him, because otherwise Chanyeol or Jondae would have probably crushed his face against the steel table of report room.  
Baekhyun’s father didn’t want a second child since the very start so he never behaved with Baekhyun as he did with Baekbom.  
Baekbom was the best son, the one who could have the world, the only one who have the right to be alive.  
Baekhyun instead was… inexistent.  
At start his father planned on not considering him at all, paying for the minimum possible required by law for not letting him starve or provide basic education, but when Baekhyun started showing his colors and how clever he was, his father started to hit him.  
That scar was only the most visible result of something way more prolonged than an accident.  
And when Baekhyun started not to come home anymore at night, his father never asked himself why.  
Especially not after that they knew all the scandals he went through with drinking and going to gay pubs underaged, the only thing still true in Baekhyun’s initial version of the story.  
There were so many blanks in that story, though, that Chanyeol didn’t know if and what he could ask Baekhyun about those.  
But the thing that made Chanyeol’s blood boil in his veins and once again made him thank that he wasn’t the one who interrogate Baekhyun’s father, was the last sentence he said and that Junmyeon reported to him.  
“Baekbom was an idiot and was charmed by his lousy brother like all those dirty men he went with. I had to do something to protect me and my wife from another scandal, even if that meant killing my own son”.  
“I hope he will get the maximum of the penalty” Junmyeon whispered when he came back to tell everything to Chanyeol who still hadn’t left Baekhyun’s room, waiting for him to wake up.  
“He will. He doesn’t have any mitigating circumstance. He is just a cruel man who thinks he is superior over everything, abused his younger son and killed the older one. He doesn’t deserve any pity” Chanyeol retorted shortly, shaking his head and shifting his stare toward Baekhyun.  
He looked so peaceful while dreaming and despite the IV he looked only asleep, no sign of pain on his face.  
He went through a lot of shit, looking for his brother’s murderer just to know that it was his own father too.  
Such a cruel story.  
“You should go home a bit too, boss” Junmyeon whispered but Chanyeol shook his head briefly, smiling at him.  
“I’ll stay a bit more” he whispered and Junmyeon nodded shortly, patting his shoulder.  
“Call us if he wakes up. After that you… spoke with him a bit, obviously” Junmyeon added and Chanyeol frowned shortly looking at him perplexed.  
“What…?” he started saying but Junmyeon smirked shortly, shaking his head.  
“We are not dumb, boss, and you are so in love with our profiling assistant that we couldn’t fail to notice” Junmyeon noted, making Chanyeol groan lowly, shaking his head.  
“Am I so obvious?” he asked briefly, feeling his cheeks warm, but looking back at Junmyeon who nodded shortly, patting again his shoulders.  
“Even Jongin realized it. Which is a… rare happening?” he objected making Chanyeol huff shortly, shaking his head but even before he could retort something again, Junmyeon spoke up.  
“But we are glad about that, boss. Because Baekhyun has a really good influence on you. You are a bit more your old self again and… we like you best? Especially when you come out with us, drinking together and not holing up in your office” Junmyeon added shortly, smiling at him and Chanyeol nodded a bit embarrassed but still understanding what Junmyeon meant.  
“Thank you, Myeon. And all of you… I promise I won’t be an asshole anymore?” Chanyeol added, making Junmyeon chuckle softly, shaking his head.  
“You are always the best, boss. No worries” he concluded, smiling and his phone started ringing, so he went away leaving Chanyeol alone.  
He sat down again near Baekhyun, looking at him, sleeping.  
It took him years, but the truth was finally out even though it reveals itself way crueler than expected.  
Baekhyun realized for sure what Kang meant at the end and who he was referring to.  
Chanyeol realized it so it wasn’t possible that Baekhyun didn’t.  
He took gently Baekhyun’s hand in his, squeezing it.  
There were still so many unanswered questions, but what Chanyeol wanted more was simply to be able to speak with Baekhyun again, forgetting all that bad story once for all.  
And maybe, if that was true what Yixing and the guys said him, live a normal life once again together with Baekhyun.  
It was with these soft feelings that Chanyeol fell asleep without leaving Baekhyun’s hand in his.

He woke up he didn’t know how later, feeling warm and like someone was caressing his hair.  
“Hey” Baekhyun’s soft voice called him and Chanyeol raised his head, worried, moving his stare toward Baekhyun.  
“H-Hey, how are you feeling?” he asked him briefly, realizing that he had his hand still on Baekhyun’s.  
He made gesture to retrieve it, apology already on his lips, but Baekhyun gripped softly on it, keeping it in place.  
“Apparently, you saved my life” Baekhyun breathed softly, pressing his lips in a thin line and Chanyeol huffed, shaking his head.  
“I didn’t, no. It was just…” Chanyeol started saying but Baekhyun clicked his tongue shorty, glaring at him.  
“Kyungsoo told me, so no need to deny it” Baekhyun added shortly, making Chanyeol frown briefly at the name.  
“Kyungsoo?” he echoed shortly, perplexed, and Baekhyun chuckled softly even if his hand went immediately to his abdomen pressing on it shortly, hissing in pain.  
“Fuck… this shit hurts a lot. And yeah, it’s the cute doctor that operated me. He’s really kind” Baekhyun whispered making Chanyeol frown shortly slightly worried but trying to laugh on it.  
“You flirted with the doctor too?” Chanyeol asked him, chuckling, unbelieving even though he was slightly worried about the whole thing.  
“Worried about that?” Baekhyun asked him and even though tone was joking, his stare was interested and serious on Chanyeol.  
And which moment better to face what there would be from that moment on between them?  
“Y-Yeah. A bit” he whispered, looking back at Baekhyun who leant his head on the side, smiling at him.  
“And why’s that?” Baekhyun asked him again and, fuck, if he wasn’t the most beautiful person Chanyeol ever saw in his life.  
“Because I’ve feelings for you, Baekhyun, and I would like to, uhm, start something with you?” Chanyeol tried even if he could feel his cheeks burning and he wasn’t good with words and why he had to be that awkward?  
“Oh, you do?” Baekhyun asked him even if on his lips there was a beautiful smile and Chanyeol groaned lowly, shaking his head.  
“Stop teasing me” he muttered and Baekhyun took again Chanyeol’s hand in his, chuckling softly.  
“I have feelings for you, officer. But are you sure that I’m the right person to start a relationship with? I mean, after all I’m…” he started saying, but Chanyeol leant in softly placing his lips on Baekhyun’s and pressing in slightly, feeling Baekhyun gasp before he could kiss Chanyeol back.  
They kissed slowly and despite Baekhyun’s mouth tasted like blood, probably still due to the whole operation, Chanyeol loved every single instant of it.  
Probably they never kissed that way in those moments they had in the past, and for sure not that softly.  
Apart maybe that last time in which Baekhyun held him.  
“What you… did or was in the past, doesn’t matter to me. If you want to speak about it, I am here as always, but if you prefer to leave everything behind not to even mention it again, I’ll understand and won’t ask you anything” Chanyeol stated and he was dead serious in what he was saying.  
Because for how much he was curious about the real version of that story that made Baekhyun act in that way, he wanted also to respect Baekhyun and leave all that story behind, if that was what Baekhyun wanted.  
Baekhyun looked at him perplexed, astonished, slightly agape, lips parting in wonder.  
But then he frowned shortly, shaking his head.  
“You… need to know, Chanyeol. There are reasons that could change the idea you have of me” Baekhyun whispered but Chanyeol gripped harder on Baekhyun’s hand, shaking his head too.  
“I… know you better that you may think, Baekhyun. And even when I read the content of the folder Zhang gave me…” he started saying and Baekhyun’s eyes went even wider in perplexity.  
“You what?” he exclaimed, voice strangled in his throat and Chanyeol inhaled deeply, nodding.  
“I… Zhang gave me your folder, the one he has and always used against you in these years. He also said that I could do whatever I wanted with it because it was time for you to live a normal life, without being still linked to a past that hasn’t reason to exist in our lives anymore” Chanyeol whispered softly, half smile on his lips and Baekhyun couldn’t hide again his awe.  
“Xing did this? Really?” he asked him and Chanyeol nodded shortly.  
“He also said that he was sorry for everything. He never meant to involve you in something this dangerous” Chanyeol continued and Baekhyun’s eyes went wider again before he could shift his stare away.  
“So you, uhm, know about… me and Nam?” Baekhyun breathed and his voice was lower, clearly avoiding and his stare sadder than before, probably hoping that Chanyeol would never know those things about him.  
“I do, yes. But I don’t care about them. You are still that smartass antiquities seller I met before, no more no less” Chanyeol retorted, making Baekhyun inhaled deeply, leaving Chanyeol’s hand just to card his finger through his own hair.  
“I… want you to know the same. Because I’m sure that there are things that weren’t there and that will make you think different about me” Baekhyun continued saying and when Chanyeol tried to interject, Baekhyun pressed a finger on Chanyeol’s lips.  
“Will you listen?” he asked him briefly, lowly, stare not leaving Chanyeol’s and what could Chanyeol do?  
He nodded simply, taking once again Baekhyun’s hand in his, waiting for him to speak up.  
“I… don’t think Bom’s parents planned to have two children. For sure they planned Baekbom, but I came… unexpectedly. And it wasn’t a joy nor a pleasant happening. My grandmother choose my name, because Bom’s parents didn’t even want to think about a name for me” Baekhyun started saying, chuckling softly and shaking his head.  
“No wonder that I grew up faster than expected. Especially since Bom’s father wasn’t… kind with me as he was with Bom. Every time I said something wrong or simply I tried to voice my opinion, he hit me. Usually it was barehanded, but sometimes if he was particularly angry, he did it with a belt or grandpa’s old wooden clogs. And he always did it when Bom wasn’t home, so my brother didn’t know about it” Baekhyun continued shrugging his shoulders and Chanyeol frowned briefly, shaking his head.  
“Didn’t your brother see all your bruises and…?” Chanyeol asked him, trying to be polite in asking but still curious about the thing.  
“I… wore baggy clothes as I do now, and I never was fan of t-shirts. As if not sufficient, when I started to be older, when he spotted something on my neck or on my wrists, I told him it was from some random games with my friends. It got even easier when I started sleeping around. I almost never went back home” Baekhyun started saying and Chanyeol inhaled deeply, shaking his head and he clearly was pissed off by the whole thing.  
Chanyeol interlaced his fingers with Baekhyun’s and brought them to his lips gently kissing them.  
He didn’t comment anything though, letting Baekhyun continue to speak.  
“I was arrested just two times for drinking underage in a gay pub, later I came across Nam, who was my brother’s friend since forever and he helped me out with that too” Baekhyun whispered, making Chanyeol frown shortly wondering how much Baekhyun and Nam actually knew, apart from the fucking.  
“Nam was… fascinating. I always saw him around the house together with Woonho. They were Bom’s friends from the school and they always were around the house even when I was younger. Nam was the first one to realize that my father beat me up. He was my bruises one night at the pub while I was dancing with one of his friends. It was like that he neared me and asked me things, telling me that he had a place to stay, if I was interested in spending some time with him too…” Baekhyun added, fingers gripping harder on Chanyeol’s.  
“How I wish that I refused his proposal, simply telling him to fuck off and let me and my brother alone…” he whispered, shaking his head, tears gently coming up to his eyes.  
“It wasn’t your fault, Baekhyun” Chanyeol breathed in reply and Baekhyun shook his head again, clicking his tongue.  
“You know, I was… desperate. I didn’t want to go home and hear my father’s complaints every night knowing that depending on how much he was angry he could hit me or not. And, I repeat, Nam was fascinating and interesting. He liked art too and it was easy to speak with him and… to fuck with him. I didn’t have to think anything, just let him do what he wanted and he gave me gifts, a house where to spend time when I didn’t want to go home and treated me with almost kindness” Baekhyun continued, biting shortly his lips and shaking his head again.  
“I… started to understand what Nam was up to when I realized that he had too much money also for being a banker and I started investigating on it. I wasn’t underage anymore and started helping Woonho and Bom with some cases and I… didn’t take too much to understand what was happening under Nam’s hands and his affairs. And I knew everything much sooner than expected and… I did the best I could do. I met Bom at Jae’s and I decided to tell everything to the police. Bom drove me there and I spoke with Xing for like… hours?” Baekhyun whispered, moving his fingers again on his temples, pressing softly on them.  
“With Xing we decided that it was better pretending I was arrested and not freely cooperating with the police. Who would have known that Woonho would falsified the proofs, putting evidences against me and saying that I wasn’t younger enough to please Nam anymore? And it was like that I had to justify my actions while all I wanted to do was stop all that bullshit going on” Baekhyun explained, shaking his head briefly and once again when Chanyeol tried to interject something, Baekhyun started talking again.  
“And when my brother was killed, I was so fucking sure that it was by Nam or Woonho’s hand. Who would have thought that instead it was… Bom’s father” Baekhyun concluded inhaling deeply, clearly feeling dejected by the whole realization.  
“I’m sorry for that, Baekhyun. We, uhm, arrested your father already and…” Chanyeol started saying but Baekhyun pressed his lips in a thin line, shaking his head.  
“He’s not my father and he had great care in making me understand it. So, I don’t feel anything toward him. I’m just relieved that all this shit’s over and that finally I know how things went that night. Bom wasn’t killed by one of his colleagues nor by Nam or Woonho. It was that fucker” Baekhyun retorted immediately, spitting those words like venom and Chanyeol inhaled deeply, nodding and understanding Baekhyun’s reasoning.  
There was a short silence and then Baekhyun forced a short smile toward Chanyeol.  
“Do you have… questions?” he asked shortly and Chanyeol frowned before carding his fingers through his hair.  
“Why… you call Nam with his surname but detective Kang by his name?” Chanyeol asked him and Baekhyun shrugged his shoulders, pressing his lips in a thin line.  
“Woonho is, was, a precious ally for some time. And Bom was fond of him before they argued. Instead I always knew that Nam was… using me as I was using him. I called him by name only if and when he asked. But I let you know that he preferred, uhm, other nicknames let’s say like this” Baekhyun muttered, voice getting lower and lower toward the end of the sentence.  
Chanyeol moved his hand toward Baekhyun’s cheek, caressing it and forcing him to look back at Chanyeol.  
“Hey…” he started briefly and only when Baekhyun looked back at him, he continued speaking “I know who you are now. Forget what it was before. We can do this together” Chanyeol whispered, making Baekhyun frown shortly.  
“How you can still love me despite everything?” Baekhyun breathed and Chanyeol was about to reply when from the door the doctor entered, surprised in seeing Baekhyun awake.  
Chanyeol moved his hand away from Baekhyun’s cheek, sitting up and shortly bowing toward the doctor that smiled shortly at him.  
“You are still here, officer Park. Did you go home in these two days or those are the same clothes?” the doctor asked him and Chanyeol forced a short smile, hand scratching the back of his head.  
“No, I…” he started saying but the doctor chuckled shortly, shaking his head again.  
“I didn’t introduce myself yet. I’m doctor Do Kyungsoo, thank you again for saving Baekhyun’s life” he stated and Chanyeol shook his head immediately too.  
“It’s the contrary, doctor. I should be thanking you since you saved his life” Chanyeol stated making Kyungsoo hum in thought.  
“We could settle this if you invite me out?” the doctor proposed shortly and Chanyeol’s eyes went wider in perplexity and even before he could realize it, he was already shaking his head.  
“I’m sorry but I can’t. I’ve already feelings for someone else and it would feel weird and not fair toward him inviting you out” Chanyeol replied, forcing a short smile and the doctor chuckled, nodding, adding a short too bad.  
He shortly visited Baekhyun, happy to see him better than before, and the he went away continuing his round of patients.  
There was another small smile and then Baekhyun clicked his tongue.  
“You could have accepted” he stated and Chanyeol frowned shortly, stare moving toward Baekhyun.  
“Why? I’m not interested and already have feelings for you, so…” Chanyeol started saying but Baekhyun was already shaking his head.  
“He’s a doctor and a way better match to you than I am. You should have gone with it, maybe you would have liked him more than you expect” Baekhyun insisted and now it was Chanyeol’s turn to click his tongue, a bit upset.  
“What the fuck? I’m telling you that I have feelings for you, and you ask me if I want to go out with doctor Do? If you don’t feel the same, simply tell me. It would feel less shitty” Chanyeol retorted and when Baekhyun stayed silent, Chanyeol pressed his lips in a thin line.  
“I… will call the guys to tell them that you are better. They were all worried” Chanyeol breathed exiting the room and closing the door behind himself.  
He didn’t go away from it, simply staying outside there but he wanted to slap himself so bad for being that idiot.  
Why out of all the people he had to fall for Baekhyun?  
And why Baekhyun should love him back?  
There wasn’t much to love.  
He was always busy with his shitty work and overworking more than necessary.  
Commitment scared the hell out of him after the last relationship he had and he wasn’t able to properly voice his feelings out.  
He wasn’t even sure that he was good at sex and he was only fairly decent with cooking and housekeeping.  
There was nothing to love, after all.  
He inhaled deeply, composing Jondae’s number, knowing that he was with the other for sure since it was Friday evening.  
“Yeol! Any news?” he asked when he replied at the call and Chanyeol forced another small smile even though he knew that Jondae couldn’t see him.  
At least Baekhyun was fine and that was the most important thing.  
“Yeah, Baekhyun is up if you want to come and visit him” Chanyeol stated and Jondae surprised him with a oh perfect we are down here!  
Chanyeol chuckled softly, nodding and closing the call.  
In two minutes, they were all up and Chanyeol opened again the door of Baekhyun’s room, entering with the others.  
Baekhyun was surprised to see them all there.  
“You were super quick! Were you down here?” Baekhyun asked them and Jondae chuckled, nodding.  
“Yeol was here for three days straight, we came to force him to go home actually, letting one of us staying here in his place” Jondae stated and Chanyeol carded his fingers in his hair, huffing.  
“For fuck’s sake, it’s not like I didn’t sleep nor…” he started saying but Junmyeon patted on his shoulder, shaking his head.  
“Because you slept more than five hours in these days?” Junmyeon asked him and Minseok shook his head, immediately replying in his stake.  
“I know for sure that he chatted with the night shift guys, so no” he commented and Chanyeol inhaled briefly, avoiding Baekhyun’s perplexed stare.  
“Now that you are all here, I can go then, no? Baekhyun’s up after all. I’m not needed here anymore” Chanyeol stated shrugging his shoulders and picking up his jacket from the jacket but Jongin shook his head.  
“We brought you sushi, you better eat it!” he stated showing a small wrapped box and Chanyeol frowned shortly.  
“I can eat it also at home. I don’t think the doctors will allow Baekhyun to eat it yet and it’s a bit rude eating it here knowing he can’t eat it” Chanyeol retorted immediately, before shaking his head and shortly hinting toward Junmyeon.  
“Or you could bring it to your wife, I’m sure she will appreciate more than me” he stated forcing another short smile, putting on his jacket.  
“Enjoy your evening and one of you stay here keeping company to Baekhyun. I’ll be back tomorrow after lunch” he concluded waiving toward them and exiting the room.  
And he was almost at the elevator when Jondae reached him, calling him from behind.  
Chanyeol turned shortly, frowning.  
“Did… something happen?” he asked briefly and Jondae frowned too.  
“I should be asking you. We are just arrived… why so hasty in leaving? Something happened with Baekhyun?” Jondae asked him and… was there anything to hide at that point?  
“I… Me and Baekhyun don’t share the same feelings, Dae. I rushed in telling him, but he doesn’t feel the same. So, yeah. I don’t think he is glad in having me around” Chanyeol breathed, hearing the soft ping of the lift reaching the floor.  
“It’s impossible, Yeol. Baek loves you and you too have such a great…” he started to say but Chanyeol stopped him with a gesture of his hand.  
“Because we fucked few times. And as long as it’s a fuck, then it’s good. But feelings are different and it’s not what Baekhyun wants. So yeah… Let me go home and rest a bit. Tomorrow I will be the same annoying boss as ever, but for tonight, just don’t ask and let me go home” Chanyeol whispered and he knew that it sounded almost like a plead, but he was really tired and he wanted just to drink few beers alone, not thinking about anything.  
Jondae opened his mouth to say something more, but then he nodded and patted Chanyeol’s shoulder.  
“I’ll stop the night to check out on Baekhyun. See you tomorrow” he concluded and Chanyeol smiled briefly at him.  
“Thanks, Dae. I owe you” he whispered, taking the lift and finally going home.  
He went home and once there all the fatigue and sadness of those few days assaulted him, making him feel way more tired than what he thought.  
So he simply picked up few beers from the fridge and sat on the couch, pretending to watch silly movies on television just not to think about how sad and hurt he really felt in that moment.

The day after, he went to the police station before going back to the hospital.  
Except Jondae, everyone was there, greeting him happily.  
They didn’t mention Baekhyun and Chanyeol didn’t either, just helped him clean a bit, especially all the papers they piled up with the time regarding Fearless Light a really not existent thief.  
And Chanyeol got a bit blue thinking on how all began and how much time he wasted in being pissed off at Baekhyun when he could actually try and understand him, knowing him better.  
He put all the pictures, the papers, the theories in a big cardboard box before closing it up and writing on it with a sharpie.  
Fearless Light – Closed.  
Was it really closed or not, he didn’t know, but he knew that from that moment on they wouldn’t have anything more to do with Baekhyun.  
He could go back to his usual life and forget the whole thing almost like it never happened.  
“Officer Park” the short rookie from the reception called him and he frowned shortly, raising his stare.  
“There’s someone asking for you at the entrance. It’s… Lee-ssi, he said you know him” he continued and Chanyeol inhaled deeply, nodding.  
“Coming. Offer him a coffee or a tea” he stated, carding his fingers through his hair, earning himself a perplexed stare from Junmyeon and Minseok.  
“It’s… detective Byun’s fiancé” he breathed and they both hummed shortly, clearly getting how strange the visit could be.  
Chanyeol went to the entrance, meeting the tired and dejected expression on Jae’s face.  
“Lee-ssi” Chanyeol greeted him but Jae glared at him.  
“I remember telling you to protect him not to get him shoot” he stated, nearing Chanyeol, entering his personal space and Chanyeol pressed his lips in a thin line.  
“It’s… wiser if we talk about it outside here” he stated and when Jae glared again at him, Chanyeol added a small please, gesturing the door and Jae nodded, exiting together with Chanyeol.  
Outside it was a sunny day, despite the cold and the sky was blue.  
“How come that he got almost killed under your fucking protection?” Jae asked him and Chanyeol bowed deeply in front of him.  
“I’m sorry. I wasn’t able to do my work properly and I apologize for that. If you want, I can drive you there and you can thank the doctors who saved Baekhyun’s life” he breathed, keeping his head down and waiting for Jae’s words or actions.  
There was a short silence and then Jae spoke up.  
“Drive me there” he breathed and Chanyeol nodded standing up again and going toward the car, unlocking it and Jae sat down near him on the passenger seat.  
“How you… know about him being shot?” Chanyeol asked him, driving off the parking place and taking the road toward the hospital, but earning himself another glare.  
“Drive and don’t ask idiocy” he stated and Chanyeol pressed his lips in a thin line, nodding.  
He drove them there in silence and brought him to Baekhyun’s room, knocking softly on the door before opening it.  
“You’re early, Yeol!” Jondae stated smiling at him and Chanyeol nodded shortly before moving and letting Jae enter too.  
Baekhyun seemed better than the day prior, better color and he could sit without any problem.  
He shifted immediately his stare away, feelings coming back again and making him want to hug Baekhyun so tightly.  
“Jae!” Baekhyun exclaimed happily and Jae ran to him hugging him strongly at him.  
“Baek, oh heavens I was so worried when I read the news this morning! Yoona almost had a heart attack when she told me!” Jae stated snuggling his nose in Baekhyun’s neck, making him chuckle, fingers moving on his hair, caressing it.  
“I’m fine, Jae, really. The doctors and officer Park made a really good job in keeping me here” Baekhyun added and Chanyeol felt like a slap at the utilization of his surname with full sobriquet.  
Baekhyun was clearly drawing the line again.  
Chanyeol forced a short smile before hinting a short bow.  
“It’s better if we leave you two alone. I bet you have plenty of things you want to talk about” he added, gesturing toward Jondae to exit with him.  
And he did without too many questions, even if those arrived later, once outside.  
“Who?” he asked shortly and Chanyeol told him about Jae being both Baekbom’s fiancé and Baekhyun’s friend and a bit also how Chanyeol promised him to protect Baekhyun even though he didn’t manage.  
“Well you did. The doctor said that it’s only thanks to you if Baekhyun arrived here alive and they managed to save him” Jondae breathed and Chanyeol shook his head shortly.  
“I… It’s not like they have to know. I didn’t do anything, and I don’t want Baekhyun or Lee-ssi to feel like they owe me something” he concluded, declaring closed the subject even though Jondae wanted to say something more.  
Chanyeol changed immediately the subject, head moving toward the room.  
“How’s he today? Better?” he asked him and Jondae frowned shortly.  
“You are behaving like a kid. Why don’t you stop by after that Lee-ssi goes away and don’t you ask him directly?” Jondae asked him, but Chanyeol was already shaking his head.  
“I don’t think he…” he started saying but Jondae stopped him immediately, shaking his head too.  
“He asked me if you would really come today. And yesterday when with the others we were discussing the shifts, he said that it would be so great if Chanyeol found a bit more time. So… please do your math and enter there after that Lee-ssi goes away. Maybe he has something to say” Jondae explained briefly, caressing Chanyeol’s shoulder and Chanyeol frowned shortly.  
“He calls me again officer Park, I’m not sure there’s much more to say” he retorted pressing his lips in a thin line but Jondae slapped his arm, scolding stare moving on him.  
“It was because that Lee was here too. I don’t know if he knows anything on Baek’s feelings for you” Jondae continued and Chanyeol groaned lowly.  
“I told you already, there’s no feeling at all. You are mistaking” he stated and once again for him the discourse was closed but from behind them Kyungsoo appeared again.  
“Ah, officer Park, again here. Aren’t you here for me, right?” he asked and Chanyeol shook his head briefly.  
“I’m afraid I’m just visiting Baekhyun again, doctor” he retorted shortly and Kyungsoo laughed sparkling, nodding shortly, patting his shoulder.  
“You are so lucky to have a lover like him” he stated and Chanyeol frowned shortly, clearly not understanding how he got to the lover step.  
And even before he could inquire any further, he smiled shortly at Chanyeol, speaking up.  
“Baekhyun is… really strong and yesterday when I made the second turn and your friend here was asleep,” he started saying gesturing toward Jondae who chuckled briefly, sticking out his tongue, “I spoke a bit with him and he’s really sweet. And so in love with you. Also asked me not to flirt with you because officer is taken already and his heart is mine. So yeah, jealous enough” Kyungsoo continued, making Chanyeol’s cheeks took fire.  
“Did he?” he barely managed to reply and Kyungsoo nodded softly, smile not leaving his lips.  
“He was oh so cute and bit drugged by analgesics, but we know that drugs take the truth out of people, almost like soju” Kyungsoo replied and he wanted to add something more but a small pager in his pocket beeped attracting his attention.  
“Ah, too bad I have to go now. See you around” he concluded walking away and Chanyeol still felt his cheeks hot at the only mention.  
Jondae chuckled softly, patting again on Chanyeol’s shoulders.  
“So… I think he was quite direct on his confession, officer Park” Jondae stated making Chanyeol groan shortly, shaking his head.  
“Shut up” he muttered but in that moment the door opened and Jae exited looking toward Chanyeol.  
They stared at each other for a moment and then Jae coughed shortly, pressing his lips in a thin line.  
“Baek told me about you, uhm, saving his life. I’m glad you were there, officer. Thanks for bringing back Baek alive” he whispered hinting a short bow before he could go away and Chanyeol ran his fingers through his hair, shaking his head.  
“I’ll go to the police station. Go to your lover” Jondae stated pushing him toward the door and disappearing too.  
Chanyeol inhaled deeply before opening the door and closing it immediately after entering.  
“I’m sorry, but it’s me again. Dae had some plans and I think that Lee-ssi went away too” Chanyeol whispered, forcing a short smile and Baekhyun hummed shortly, not adding anything more.  
Chanyeol sat on the chair near the bed but didn’t say a word, maybe because he didn’t even know what to say.  
There was a moment of silence, the longest there probably was between them, and then Baekhyun inhaled deeply, shaking his head.  
“I’m sorry” he stated and Chanyeol frowned briefly, before he bit his lips, shaking his head too.  
“You don’t need to. I mean, it’s not your fault if you don’t feel the same as I do and I don’t want to…” he started saying but Baekhyun interrupted him immediately.  
“Shut up and listen to me” he stated, tone similar to an order and, when he realized it too, he added a soft please that made Chanyeol’s heart flutter.  
He loved Baekhyun’s low voice so much…  
He was generally so screwed for him.  
“I… I think I never loved anyone. And I’m… confused at the moment. Because with you everything is rose-colored and soft and ugh, I’m not used to feel this warm even when you are not having sex with me and you are not even touching me and… what’s this magic?” Baekhyun spat out, voice barely audible and when Chanyeol’s stare shifted on his face, he found it red and blushing, eyes slightly glassy and how fucking precious was Baekhyun?  
“Baekhyun…” he started saying but Baekhyun stopped him with a small gesture of his hand.  
“Date me” he stated and Chanyeol’s eyes went wider in perplexity, before Baekhyun explained himself better.  
“I don’t know what is this soft feeling, but I don’t want to be apart from you and I was… annoyed when yesterday Kyungsoo hit on you so openly in front of me. I mean, what the fuck? But then I thought that he was way better than me, because he has a great work and he’s not…” started saying but then his words faded, getting lost in his thoughts, but Chanyeol sat up, nearing him and caressing his cheeks.  
“He’s not you. And you are perfect to me, Baekhyun. Why you shouldn’t be?” Chanyeol asked him, thumb gently stroking his skin and Baekhyun’s stare moved on Chanyeol’s face, stare losing in his.  
“You don’t think I’m…” he started saying and Chanyeol frowned shortly.  
“You are?” he asked back and Baekhyun inhaled deeply, closing his eyes before whispering a low, barely hearable filthy.  
Chanyeol leant down pressing his lips on Baekhyun’s, surprising him, making him gasp in the kiss.  
“Idiot” Chanyeol breathed against his lips, shaking his head before kissing him again.  
“But…” Baekhyun tried to say and Chanyeol kissed him again and again until Baekhyun stayed silent simply letting Chanyeol kiss him and kissing him back.  
“You are way too precious and clever to really think this shit, Baekhyun” Chanyeol started saying and when Baekhyun tried to interject, Chanyeol pressed a soft kiss on the top of his nose.  
“And if this’s not enough, I’ll date you and prove you that I can cherish you every day of our lives” Chanyeol added, smiling softly at him, making Baekhyun’s cheeks glowing bright red, before he could bite his lips.  
“Even if I just want to be that smartass antiquities seller you met at the beginning? No more police, no more cases, no more profiling no nothing…?” Baekhyun asked him and Chanyeol smiled, nodding shortly.  
“Whatever you want, Baekhyun. I… like that antiquities seller quite a lot too” he admitted, smiling again, feeling his own cheeks taking fire, and seeing Baekhyun’s getting even redder.  
“You are so fucking sappy, officer” he breathed against Chanyeol’s lips, making his snort, shaking his head.  
“Tell me you don’t like it and I won’t do it anymore” Chanyeol retorted, but Baekhyun moved his hand on the collar of Chanyeol’s shirt, pulling him down.  
“Don’t even try stopping. I’m liking it way much more than I’ll ever admit” Baekhyun groaned again his lips and Chanyeol closed again that short distance that separated them, kissing him slowly again, savoring Baekhyun’s taste and perfume, loving every second of it.  
And they were so taken in the kiss that they realized that Kyungsoo was back to check the IV only when he coughed shortly, attracting their attentions.  
“I see. No hope for me at all” Kyungsoo stated and both Chanyeol and Baekhyun shook their heads this time.  
And Chanyeol didn’t know much about that warm feeling blooming in his chest either, but he was sure that he could discover more about it with Baekhyun at his side.

One year later  
“Welcome!” Baekhyun’s voice greeted him when he pushed open the door of the antiquities shop and the small bell tingled, announcing him.  
“It’s me, babe” Chanyeol stated in reply and Baekhyun showed up from behind the counter, beaming at him.  
“Hey, Yeol. What’s up? What are you doing here?” he asked him, surprised to see him there and Chanyeol smiled softly at him.  
In that year not much things changed.  
Baekhyun still had his shop that was going super well and started working again from time to time in some museums too, helping as curator for some exhibitions.  
Chanyeol was offered a higher rank position but he refused, saying that he liked what he was doing and more office work wasn’t for him since he preferred action way more than that.  
Chanyeol kept always his team because they were fucking invincible, as per Chanyeol’s own words, making everyone, including Baekhyun, chuckle at the definition.  
With Baekhyun things were… stable.  
They got to know each other better and Chanyeol’s fell in love each day more, if it was possible, loving everything about whatever they had.  
Baekhyun sometimes had some bad thoughts about his past and how about maybe he wasn’t the best person for Chanyeol, but Chanyeol cherished him even more, spoiling him so much that Baekhyun started doubting himself less and less.  
“You forgot, right?” Chanyeol asked him and Baekhyun frowned shortly before looking at the calendar and gasping in surprise.  
“Oh, shit. I totally forgot. Is it today, right? We have to go to Jae’s and…?” he started saying picking up his keys and moving toward the door, locking it immediately and turning around the sign with the closed writing.  
“Relax, there’s still time” Chanyeol stated but Baekhyun shook his head.  
“I can’t come dressed like this. I have a varnish stain here and this t-shirt is…” he started saying again but Chanyeol circled his arms around Baekhyun’s waist, pulling him near.  
“You are beautiful. Stop worrying. I have the car, can drive you home and then to Jae’s” Chanyeol whispered leaning down and pressing his lips on Baekhyun’s temple, making him groan lowly.  
“Chanyeol…” he whispered and Chanyeol caressed his sides slowly, snuggling his nose in Baekhyun’s soft hair.  
“You changed your shampoo?” Chanyeol asked him, making Baekhyun blush softly, nodding before he distanced Chanyeol moving again near the counter, starting the closing operations for that day.  
“They didn’t have strawberry anymore so I went with peach. You like it?” he asked him and Chanyeol followed him near the counter, hugging him from behind, placing soft kisses on his neck and nape while Baekhyun was trying to count the money.  
“Babe, I can’t count like this…” he muttered, biting his own lips and Chanyeol loved Baekhyun so, so, so much.  
“You can count later?” he proposed and Baekhyun shook his head briefly.  
“I need to do it now. And if you let me, it can be that we can do something quick since I closed already and, as you said, we still have a bit of time” Baekhyun stated, voice going lower, so alluring and enthralling that Chanyeol stopped doing whatever, even breathing probably, not to disturb Baekhyun in his operation.  
Baekhyun let out a soft chuckle, finishing what he was doing and after that he put that day income in the safe and closed it, he turned around toward Chanyeol, smirking at him.  
“So, who’s a good boy here?” he asked him, gently caressing Chanyeol’s chin, smile not faltering on his lips.  
“You. The bestest babe in all the world” Chanyeol stated, leaning down and playfully biting Baekhyun’s neck, making him chuckle again, hands moving on Chanyeol’s torso before he could hug him better, pressing him near himself.  
Chanyeol hugged him back, inhaling deeply the perfume from Baekhyun’s neck and realizing once again how much he adored it.  
“We don’t have time for a quickie, you know?” Baekhyun whispered softly, making Chanyeol groan lowly even though he knew way too well too.  
And he was about to speak up when Baekhyun pressed a finger against his lips.  
“Not something full but… Can I suck you off? Here, against my counter, so that I will think about you every time I’ll be behind here?” Baekhyun proposed biting his own lips, knowing that Chanyeol would fucking love the idea.  
And Chanyeol loved it already.  
Baekhyun groaned, fingers carding through Chanyeol’s hair, pulling him near to his own neck.  
“I know you like the idea already. Even though it’s strange seeing you around this early… What’s up today?” Baekhyun asked him and Chanyeol hummed shortly.  
“You know, since it’s one year that we started dating and I wanted to do something special but Jae already invited us there. I even tried to come out from work at a decent time” Chanyeol started answering while his hands travelled south, but Baekhyun’s hands stopped his hand, turning their position and pressing him hard against the counter.  
“I have something special for you too, actually… But later, tonight. After Jae, if we manage to survive” he whispered back and Chanyeol raised an eyebrow perplexed.  
It was… unexpected.  
Chanyeol and Baekhyun weren’t people who exchanged gifts or other things to celebrate their dates or things like that.  
“Will he kill us?” Chanyeol muttered back, referring to Jae and how finally Baekhyun decided to tell him that he and Chanyeol were dating.  
It took one whole year, but finally the time had come.  
“I hope no… but he will surely scold us, I’m sure” Baekhyun whispered, gently caressing Chanyeol’s hair before he descended shortly along Chanyeol’s body, fingers touching everywhere and finally stopping to unbutton Chanyeol’s jeans, revealing his already half-hard erection, hidden behind the soft cloth of his boxer.  
“You sure you closed well the door?” Chanyeol asked him, biting shortly his lips, expectations already exciting him and Baekhyun chuckled softly, nodding, reassuring him.  
“Yeah and nobody can see us from outside. This counter is in such a good place” Baekhyun added, praising his own choices regarding the counter.  
Chanyeol hummed shortly, fingers carding through Baekhyun’s hair that was so soft and silky, making him want to pull already.  
Baekhyun was so near to his erection that Chanyeol could feel it twitch in his boxer, before Baekhyun could pull them down, pressing them to the ground together with his jeans, letting his erection spring free.  
Chanyeol bit his lips shortly, feeling already Baekhyun’s breath against it.  
Baekhyun’s blowjobs were the best and Chanyeol couldn’t praise him enough for how good he was in doing them.  
Apparently, Baekhyun didn’t have a gag reflex or if he had it, Chanyeol didn’t discover it yet.  
Baekhyun neared his erection, placing a soft kiss on it, before he started licking it, slowly, softly, making Chanyeol groan lowly, fingers caressing Baekhyun’s hair, making him hum in appreciation.  
“I love the effects I have on you, Yeol” Baekhyun whispered, hot breath caressing the wetness he just left on Chanyeol’s erection making it twitch in reply.  
And obviously Chanyeol liked those way too much too.  
“Oh, I love those too, babe. You always feel so good. Your mouth so wet and warm…” Chanyeol muttered in reply and Baekhyun didn’t let himself repeat, taking all Chanyeol’s erection in his mouth, gently sucking on it, making Chanyeol groan lowly, biting his lips down.  
Baekhyun’s mouth was so pleasant and hot, lips nicely stretching around Chanyeol’s erection, tongue caressing it from all the directions.  
“Oh, yes” he breathed, throwing his head back, feeling Baekhyun’s fingers gently moving to fiddle with his balls, sending hot shivers down his back.  
Baekhyun started slowly, an almost-there pace, soft, playing around with his tongue, licking flatly under it, following the slick sign, making Chanyeol shiver at the slow and dedicated movements.  
“You always do miracles, babe” Chanyeol moaned when Baekhyun squeezed gently his balls, fingers finding their ways also to the perineum, gently caressing him there too.  
Chanyeol loved all those sensations and how Baekhyun could transform a simple act like that in paradise’s door too.  
Baekhyun started to suck him a bit faster, setting a more consistent pace, making Chanyeol bite his lips, trying to contain his movements inside Baekhyun’s mouth, but Baekhyun slapped his thigh, glaring at him and damn the only view, made Chanyeol want to thrust harder inside Baekhyun’s mouth.  
His lips stretched around Chanyeol’s shaft were so beautiful and wet and… the way he was looking at him made Chanyeol feel already even harder than before, wanting that contact with Baekhyun more than he could express with words.  
“Fuck” Chanyeol let out, gripping slightly harder on Baekhyun’s hair and starting to thrust inside his mouth, following Baekhyun’s faster pace and even making it quicker.  
Baekhyun adapted immediately, sucking him how Chanyeol liked and there was no better sensation in that moment.  
Baekhyun’s mouth was hot and wet, his tongue pleasantly stimulating all Chanyeol’s preferred spots and his fingers still pressing in the right place from the outside.  
“Ah, Baek…” Chanyeol breathed, thrusting deeper inside Baekhyun’s mouth and Baekhyun hummed, urging him to continue and… Chanyeol felt too good to refuse.  
He closed his eyes briefly simply enjoying how warm and tight he felt in there, how Baekhyun was sucking him perfectly, how that pace was the most suitable for the moment and Chanyeol was already at his limit, feeling the warmth feeling pooling at the bottom of his abdomen.  
“I want to cum in your mouth so bad, babe. Can I?” Chanyeol asked him softly, gently gripping on Baekhyun’s hair who looked at him, giving him his okay with a small thumb up that differently would have made Chanyeol chuckle.  
But in that moment, he simply thrusted harder, Baekhyun easily following his pace, and simply came, enjoying the sensation, a real explosion, gripping harder on Baekhyun’s hair, closing his eyes and seeing white and bright flashes behind his eyes.  
“Oh, fuck, yeah” Chanyeol let out, slowing down and trying to stead again his breath, checking on Baekhyun who was swallowing everything, before licking Chanyeol clean, making him bite his lips due to over sensitivity.  
“You are the best, babe. Loved it so much” Chanyeol whispered, pulling Baekhyun up and even before he could comment, he pressed their lips together, tasting himself in his mouth.  
“And I love you, baby” Baekhyun whispered between their lips, making Chanyeol blush up a bit before he could nod shortly.  
It still was strange how soft it felt every time Baekhyun told him that he loved him.  
It wasn’t easy to arrive there, because both took a while to change the I have feelings for you to I really like you and finally arriving to I love you, but when, one night Baekhyun muttered it softly after that he came inside Chanyeol after one of the hottest summer night Chanyeol ever spent in his all life, everything was even easier for them.  
Not exactly the best romantic way to first telling each other they were in love but Chanyeol couldn’t have asked for anything better, considering how his relationship with Baekhyun started and evolved.  
“Love you too” he replied softly, smiling at him and Baekhyun smiled back, before gently slapping his thigh, this time his left one.  
“And are we like sure we don’t have time for a quickie?” Chanyeol asked him softly before Baekhyun could add anything else.  
He knew he was playing a bit with fire, because the possibilities to arrive late would increase sensibly and Baekhyun was pretty clear in not having time, but in that moment Chanyeol was still so aroused that it would be difficult being a normal person during that night at Jae’s.  
Baekhyun looked back at him, shortly, biting his lips and considering their situation.  
“You will be the death of me, babe” Baekhyun started saying but moving his hands on Chanyeol’s sides, lips gently pressing on his neck, slightly above the shirt collar.  
Chanyeol closed his eyes in appreciation, pulling Baekhyun near him and kissing his temple, gently but not adding anything more, simply waiting for Baekhyun’s words.  
“Turn around and let me hold you. Want to feel you around me, so wet and tight as only you can feel” Baekhyun breathed and, fuck, Chanyeol didn’t mind those conditions at all.  
Unexpectedly, he liked both holding Baekhyun and being held by him, finding different kind of pleasure in both actions and Baekhyun always took so great care of him.  
He nodded shortly, smiling at Baekhyun who huffed briefly, shaking his head.  
“The sweetest and most sensual death” Baekhyun concluded shortly distancing from Chanyeol, giving him space to turn around and when Chanyeol did, Baekhyun’s hands were immediately on his buttocks, caressing them softly.  
“We don’t have much time so… lube?” Baekhyun asked him and Chanyeol nodded shortly.  
“I just want you inside, Baekhyun. Whatever you find more suitable” Chanyeol retorted, making Baekhyun groan shortly before he leant down biting Chanyeol’s nape.  
“I have to prepare you at least a bit” Baekhyun whispered, voice low and caring as every time Baekhyun took the lead, and Chanyeol hummed briefly.  
Even before Chanyeol could ask him if they had lube there, he heard already the sound of a package being teared, probably a mono dose coming from Baekhyun’s wallet.  
Despite being years already that Baekhyun didn’t sleep around anymore, he didn’t lose the habits to always have with him at least one mono dose of lube and a condom, thing that revealed being unexpectedly useful also with Chanyeol.  
And he was so lost in those thoughts, that he briefly hissed when Baekhyun’s cold fingers went to his entrance, smearing it with lube.  
“Come on, you are a big boy. Don’t tell me it’s too cold” Baekhyun stated, chuckling, and Chanyeol shook his head, wanting to speak up but Baekhyun pressed in the first finger, making Chanyeol grip slightly on the counter, biting his lips down to tone down a low groan.  
It was stretching pleasantly but it wasn’t nor annoying nor painful, probably due to Baekhyun’s previous work on him.  
“Oh, you are still well stretched down here. I did a great work last time, then” Baekhyun observed voice getting even lower and Chanyeol groaned again, pressing against the insertion, showing him that he could take it.  
Baekhyun started kissing him softly on his nape while he thrusted his finger inside him, gently inserting also a second one and, since Chanyeol took it pretty good, also a third one.  
“You are taking them so well, babe. You like them?” Baekhyun asked him, moving his other hand to Chanyeol’s erection, making him jolt at the sudden touch, letting out a low moan.  
He was feeling it so deeply, loving every second of Baekhyun’s fingers inside himself and damn, Baekhyun was right.  
He really did a good work the previous time, stretching him good, and Chanyeol was getting used to that too.  
Chanyeol nodded shortly, arching slightly his back and spreading his legs a bit more, allowing Baekhyun easier movements.  
“You are so fucking erotic, I want to take you, make you moan and plead. Is it okay?” Baekhyun whispered, tone getting lower, as deep as it could go, echoing pleasantly inside Chanyeol, arousing him even more.  
And he was about to say that yes he wanted exactly that too, Baekhyun thrusted slightly deeper his fingers inside, hitting his prostate, making Chanyeol groan loudly, pressing against the insertion, throwing his head back, hands gripping slightly harder on the counter in front of him.  
“Ah, there…” Chanyeol moaned, and Baekhyun continued a bit, setting a faster pace, but then groaned softly, biting his nape.  
“Want to be inside you, is it sufficient like this? May I?” he breathed, voice low and Chanyeol simply nodded because he wanted that so bad too.  
Baekhyun slowed down his movement but didn’t pull out his fingers yet.  
Chanyeol heard him doing things behind him but he didn’t know what until Baekhyun’s hand reached once again Chanyeol’s erection, rolling down a condom, making Chanyeol hide a low groan at the friction with Baekhyun’s fingers.  
Baekhyun stroked him a bit too, making Chanyeol gently thrust in his hand, feeling again like he never came before, hard and wanting and didn’t know if he wanted more Baekhyun’s hand on his erection or that half-there pace inside him, continuously stimulating his prostate.  
“B-Baek, stop it. I want you” Chanyeol moaned lowly, feeling like he was at his limit again, making Baekhyun press his lips against his nape and nod shortly, probably being at his own limit too.  
“Let me then” he concluded, stopping to stroke him and finally removing his fingers from Chanyeol.  
But he didn’t have the time to realize that they were gone, that Baekhyun was already thrusting inside him, all the way through the end, making Chanyeol moan loudly, arching his back.  
And fuck, he missed that filling sensation so bad.  
He loved taking Baekhyun, being inside of him, but being filled up was so good too.  
Chanyeol didn’t do it just because Baekhyun proposed it or because it was only fair in their switching, like he did in the past with his former partner, but because he wanted it too.  
So, so, so, much that maybe he could also consider pleading for it sometimes.  
“Ah, babe, you feel so tight” Baekhyun let out in a groan, and Chanyeol could feel Baekhyun’s hands gripping harder on his sides, trying to steady himself giving Chanyeol time to adapt.  
However, Chanyeol pressed against the insertion, clearly asking Baekhyun to move, because he was ready and he wanted it as much as Baekhyun wanted too.  
Baekhyun knew Chanyeol well enough to know what he wanted, and acted upon it, starting to thrust inside Chanyeol, slowly, testing the resistance and Chanyeol’s reactions.  
Baekhyun stretched him so well, brushing pleasantly against his walls and it was so nice feeling him gradually increasing the pace, slowly picking up the one he had previously with his fingers, making Chanyeol grip harder on the counter in front of him.  
“Baek, give me more” Chanyeol breathed starting following Baekhyun’s movements inside himself, feeling Baekhyun’s twitching inside him before he leant down again, biting his nape shortly, making Chanyeol arch his back even more than before, letting Baekhyun thrust against Chanyeol’s prostate.  
Chanyeol had to bite down his lips again not to cry out loud Baekhyun’s name, but it was so arousing, so hot and so pleasant, making him feel like the warmth was pooling up again starting from his abdomen and thickening again his already way too hard erection, making him want to come feeling Baekhyun coming inside him too.  
“Do you want more, babe?” Baekhyun whispered at his ear and his tone was again that low and deep, that Chanyeol feel it tumbling down his back like a hot shiver, making his skin explode in goosebumps, and he simply nodded, releasing his own lips, moaning louder than before.  
“Please, yes. I want to feel you more” Chanyeol breathed in reply, making Baekhyun nod near him and place again a soft kiss against his ear before he bit it, pulling it between his teeth.  
“Too bad we don’t have time, Chanyeollie. I’d like to hear you pleading so bad for it” Baekhyun whispered and Chanyeol gulped down, nodding shortly.  
“N-Next time, then?” he muttered in reply and Baekhyun hummed, moving his hand on Chanyeol’s erection again, stroking it hardly, immediately picking up his pace inside Chanyeol, and Chanyeol swore loudly, biting down his lips again, trying without much success to muffle down his moans.  
“B-Baek, babe, make me come again” Chanyeol moaned lowly and Baekhyun didn’t let him repeat himself and simply thrusted harder inside him, again and again against his prostate, stroking him at the same pace, making Chanyeol feel like he was going crazy because it felt too good.  
And even before he could realize it, he was already coming so hard inside the condom, panting, a mix between swearing and muttering Baekhyun’s name, lights passing behind his eyes and fuck, why it felt always so perfect when he had sex with Baekhyun?  
Why it felt like Baekhyun knew everything about him and knew how to touch him and making him feel that good?  
Baekhyun groaned lowly, biting him again on his nape.  
“You are squeezing me so well, Yeollie. Keep it up a little bit more” Baekhyun moaned, hands both gripping on Chanyeol’s side and thrusting simply chasing his own release that came in few movements more, pressing so hard inside Chanyeol that he could swear he was seeing stars.  
Everything felt… in harmony with the universe even if both were breathing unevenly and panting, taking few moments to came down from the high and the bliss of their orgasms.  
“It was perfect, Baekhyun” Chanyeol whispered shortly, hissing when Baekhyun slowly exited him and Baekhyun placed a soft kiss on his nape before moving and giving Chanyeol space to move.  
Chanyeol stretched his back, hands moving on the condom and slowly taking it out, looking with his stare for something he could quickly clean himself with, and Baekhyun gave him a package of wet wipes.  
Chanyeol frowned taking them, stare inquiring but Baekhyun simply shrugged his shoulders.  
“I like eating gelato four seasons, so yeah if my hands are sticky and some customers arrive it’s not like I can touch things with sticky fingers. It’s unprofessional and unhygienic” Baekhyun explained shortly, smiling at him and Chanyeol should have thought about it already, seeing how much Baekhyun liked gelato.  
There was a short silence, while they tried to make themselves presentable again and then Baekhyun shook his head looking at himself.  
“We have to go now, before it’s too late. Now I can’t absolutely go to Jae’s with this trousers” he concluded showing Chanyeol a suspicious new stain on the trousers, probably lube, and Chanyeol nodded shortly, pressing a soft kiss on Baekhyun’s cheek before he leant down and pulled up his jeans, closing them up again.  
“Let’s go and hope we will survive until tonight” he concluded making Baekhyun snort shortly, shaking his head.  
Heavens if he loved Baekhyun!  
They went to Baekhyun’s just so that Baekhyun could change his clothes both of them at least fixing their appearances because there wasn’t time for a real shower, and then Chanyeol drove them to Jae’s house.  
Jae was always perplexed about the weird friendship that Baek had with Park officer but started to accept it since Chanyeol saved Baekhyun’s life and investigated on Baekhyun’s case and he revealed the truth behind Baekbom’s death.  
Chanyeol insisted to buy pastries before going to Jae’s for the disturb and when they arrived, Chanyeol took Baekhyun’s hand in his, gripping softly.  
“Hey, I know that Jae-ssi is an important person for you, and you love him like your own brother…” Chanyeol started saying and Baekhyun frowned shortly but gripped harder on Chanyeol’s fingers in his.  
“But everything will be fine. If he loves you like you do, baby, everything will be fine” Chanyeol granted him, smiling at him making Baekhyun inhale deeply, smiling.  
“Somehow it will” he concluded before knocking on the door and waiting that Jae opened up.  
Jae was… always the same, smiling and kind-hearted, even a little bit more willing to welcome Chanyeol in his life too, despite the whole thing around officer Park asking too many questions and letting Hyunnie being shot.  
“Hey, Jae” Baekhyun greeted him and Jae welcomed them inside, smiling and showed them the inside of the house.  
Baekhyun went there a lot of times already, especially in the past, but for Chanyeol it was the first time ever.  
The apartment was small, in between Baekhyun’s house and Chanyeol’s.  
“You are almost on time I can’t believe it…” Jae added shortly, surprised and Baekhyun chuckled briefly, nodding.  
“Chanyeol was a bit nervous since he never came here” Baekhyun retorted immediately, making Chanyeol huff.  
Who was the nervous one?  
Jae was a bit perplexed but then smiled toward him.  
“You don’t have too, officer. I don’t have a big house and this nothing but an informal dinner” Jae added, showing them the dining room and Chanyeol nodded shortly.  
“We brought some pastries, though, for the inconvenience. It’s your only days off from work but we made you cook nevertheless” Chanyeol added, making Jae chuckle softly, shaking his head.  
“I’m… more than glad about it, actually. Especially because there something that I want to tell you” he breathed shortly, fingers carding through his hair, clearly nervous, and Baekhyun frowned shortly, pressing his lips in a thin line.  
It was a while that Chanyeol didn’t see Baekhyun stiffen up that quickly.  
“Curious. There’s something I have to tell you too…” Baekhyun whispered, but suddenly there was another knock on the front door and Jae jolted slightly in surprise, moving toward the door and gesturing Baekhyun and Chanyeol to sit down in the dining room.  
Baekhyun frowned and Chanyeol never saw him that nervous and perplexed.  
There was something wrong.  
Something that gave Baekhyun a weird feeling even over something that could be a simple surprise.  
Unfortunately, and despite working only as antiquities seller as he told Chanyeol, Baekhyun was still way too clever and way too attentive to anything, and that evening there was something in Jae’s behavior that made Baekhyun nervous.  
And it wasn’t only the whole dating thing, Chanyeol could feel it.  
Baekhyun didn’t sit down and when Jae came back in the dining room, he was even more nervous, forcing a short smile.  
Baekhyun preceded him, stopping him shortly with a raise of his hand.  
“If you are, uhm, having a relationship… a new one, I… I agree with it, if you are happy. You don’t need to be this nervous” Baekhyun started saying, voice slightly wavering and Jae closed his eyes, inhaling deeply.  
Chanyeol knew how much those words meant to Baekhyun since it was like he was telling Jae that it was okay to forget about Baekbom.  
“Actually, it’s a bit different…” Jae whispered moving aside from the entrance of the room and gesturing someone to enter the room from the corridor.  
And Chanyeol never saw him for real but saw enough pictures of him to recognize… Baekbom.  
“B-Bom?” Baekhyun breathed, eyes getting wider and lips parting, clearly unbelieving.  
“Hyunnie” he replied softly, nearing him and Baekhyun shook his head, taking a step back.  
“I’m… hallucinating, right? I mean, Yeol…” Baekhyun started, shifting his stare toward Chanyeol who neared him, pressing gently a hand behind his back.  
“You are not, Baekhyun. Breathe. I… don’t know how it’s possible, but he looks much like your brother” Chanyeol whispered softly even if he was damn curious on how it was possible that Baekbom was still alive.  
He should have died so many years ago and they had Kang and their father as witnesses.  
“H-How?” Baekhyun whispered, taking Chanyeol’s hand in his and gripping harder on his fingers.  
Chanyeol gripped slightly back and followed Baekhyun when he took a step near Baekbom who smiled softly at him.  
“I… There are so many things I have to tell you” Baekbom started and Baekhyun hummed, eyes getting glassy.  
“Is it… really you?” Baekhyun asked briefly, voice cracking shortly and when Baekbom nodded, Baekhyun left Chanyeol’s hand, moving it on Baekbom’s cheek, looking at him shortly.  
“You… never called me, contacted me, told me anything…” Baekhyun started saying and Jae behind them inhaled deeply, moving toward them.  
“Bom, why don’t we sit down and talk about it?” Jae whispered and Baekbom nodded shortly, gesturing Baekhyun the table and Baekhyun nodded, stare not leaving Baekbom’s face even though his hand went back on Chanyeol’s, gripping harder on it.  
“I think you don’t know officer Park…” Jae started saying gesturing toward Chanyeol who bowed shortly.  
“Park Chanyeol. A pleasure to meet you… how should I refer to you? Former detective Byun?” Chanyeol asked him briefly and Baekbom chuckled softly, putting a hand inside his jacket and picking up a badge from the inside pocket.  
“I’m… NIS detective, Byun Baekbom. A pleasure to meet you, officer Park. I heard you saved my brother’s life” Baekbom stated, showing the badge to Chanyeol and Baekhyun, making Chanyeol made a martial salute, exchanged by Baekbom.  
“It was my duty and an honor” Chanyeol stated shortly, making Jae inhale deeply, shaking his head.  
“Can we cut all these martial formalities, for heavens’ sake? And can you finally explain things to Hyunnie? He’s uncharacteristically silent. Probably you broke him” Jae stated gesturing the chairs and finally they all sat down.  
There was a short silence and then Baekbom inhaled deeply, carding his fingers through his hair.  
“I… am sorry, Hyunnie, for not contacting you sooner, but I had my hands tied. And not only because of my pretended murder, but also for another mission I was working in” Baekbom started shortly, gesturing toward Jae for having something to drink and Jae came back with water, beer and a big hotpot.  
While Baekbom poured for them, Jae started to divide the portions of hotpot.  
“It was difficult not to come here and meet you and Jae even though I thought about it every day. I wanted to tell you about how you had to stay as far as possible from our father and how much I missed you and that you had to stay away from Woonho too and…” Baekbom started saying but Baekhyun stopped him with a short gesture of his hand, shaking his head.  
“Neither a message? Or a call? You don’t know how I felt after that moment and what I’ve done just to near the truth after your death” Baekhyun breathed, shifting his stare on Baekbom but he shook his head shortly.  
“I know…” he started saying but Baekhyun shook his head, clicking his tongue, making Chanyeol intertwine better his fingers with Baekhyun’s.  
It was so hard for all those years, especially considering all the things that Baekhyun had to go through.  
“No, you don’t. You don’t even realize how my world fell down in an instant when they called me telling me that you were shot. And I-I… I saw you in the morgue and… the funeral. Bom, was all a lie?” Baekhyun whispered shaking his head and Chanyeol gripped harder on his hand, making him inhale deeply, gripping back at Chanyeol’s fingers.  
“They staged it for me. Because everything had to be like I died that night and, unexpectedly, but my father gave me the right excuse at the right moment” Baekbom stated, drinking from his glass and Baekhyun inhaled deeply, biting his bottom lip.  
He was clearly nervous, and nervous Baekhyun wasn’t able to properly process things.  
And despite Chanyeol wasn’t exactly agreeing with the way Baekbom handled things, maybe there was a reason, and Chanyeol’s top priority was still Baekhyun’s welfare.  
“Hey” Chanyeol called him near him and Baekhyun leant down toward him, letting Chanyeol speak in his ear.  
“Calm down. He’s not lying to you… And if he’s here right now, maybe something happened, and he came back to stay. He’s working for NIS, babe, and you know better than I do how they keep their secrecy over the top, right?” Chanyeol whispered and Baekhyun inhaled again, gripping harder on Chanyeol’s fingers in his.  
He looked shortly at him before nodding.  
Baekhyun was again… his usual self, calming down.  
“Are you, uhm, back only for a bit or…?” Baekhyun asked him and Baekbom frowned shortly, stare moving between Chanyeol and Baekhyun, curious.  
“Jae, honey, you didn’t, uhm, hint to anything between my brother and officer Park” Baekbom started saying and Baekhyun immediately whitened shaking his head shortly but earning a perplexed stare from Baekbom and a frown from Jae.  
“Anything? What do you mean?” Jae retorted stopping what he was doing, counting the bowls, making Baekbom and Chanyeol inhale deeply, shaking their heads in the same moment.  
“I… We planned on telling Jae-ssi tonight, actually” Chanyeol stated shortly making Baekbom press his lips in a thin line, considering things in his head before speaking up again.  
“How long?” Baekbom retorted drinking again from his glass, moving his stare on Chanyeol who inhaled again, forcing a short smile, gripping again on Baekhyun’s fingers.  
How come they went from Baekbom being alive to Chanyeol dating Baekhyun that fast?  
“One year, today. I fell in love with your brother while I was trying to solve a crime that involved your, uhm, death too and yeah. Here we are” Chanyeol whispered softly, making Baekhyun snort near him, shaking his head, before letting out a soft chuckle.  
“You are always so awkward, Chanyeol” he muttered, smiling toward Chanyeol who clicked his tongue, making gesture to retrieve his hand from Baekhyun’s, but Baekhyun didn’t let him, blocking him with the other hands too, thumbs caressing the back of his hand.  
“Wait, what? You and officer Park are dating?” Jae asked him surprised, eyes going wider in perplexity, and Baekhyun nodded briefly, smile not leaving his lips.  
“He’s the best thing happened to me” Baekhyun whispered softly, smiling again toward Chanyeol who wanted so much to lean down and kiss him senseless but didn’t do it just to be respectful toward Baekbom and Jae.  
“Oh dear heavens. Where was I in the last year that I didn’t realize at all?” Jae stated, frowning deeply, making Baekbom chuckle softly, shaking his head.  
“You are always so dense, honey. And if you still call Park as officer Park, I bet you didn’t give him much confidence” Baekbom observed shortly and even before that Jae could reply, Chanyeol hinted a short bow.  
“It’s my fault. I… forced Jae-ssi in telling me things about you and about Baekhyun when both still kept secrets for more than obvious reasons. And I swore to protect your brother, but he got shot for my fault” Chanyeol explained briefly, earning himself a glare from Jae and Baekhyun.  
“Idiot” they both commented in the same moment, making Chanyeol frown shortly.  
“He was asking too much and nearing too much the truth behind your death, babe. It’s not like I could be too friendly. And I didn’t know he was in love with Hyunnie and I didn’t want officer Park to hurt him” Jae breathed finally passing the dishes and sitting down with them.  
“And I didn’t get shot for your fault. It was my fault for being idiot and provocative toward Woonho” Baekhyun whispered shortly, frowning and leaning his head against Chanyeol’s shoulder, making him move without thinking too much about it, and placing a soft kiss on his hair.  
“Still, I wasn’t quick enough to save you from two weeks of pains and stitches” Chanyeol commented making Baekhyun hum shortly, before he could pinch his side, making Chanyeol jolt in surprise.  
“Let’s eat before Jae’s heavenly hotpot gets cold” he retorted and Chanyeol chuckled softly nodding, starting to eat and it really was heavenly.  
At first it was a bit awkward, Chanyeol not knowing exactly how to relate with Baekbom, all those hierarchy shit coming in their way of speaking, but then with a bit of alcohol in their bodies, everything went slightly better.  
“You know, Chanyeol-ha…” Baekbom started saying after dinner, after few soju bottles more and Chanyeol nodded pouring both him and Baekbom more of the transparent liquid.  
Jae was more or less awake, leaning his head on his hand and looking sleepily at Baekbom.  
Baekhyun instead was probably starting to fall asleep on Chanyeol’s shoulder since how silent he was.  
“I’m glad my brother found someone like you. You really love him so much” Baekbom stated and Chanyeol smiled softly, drinking a bit from his glass.  
“I do, yeah. And the only thing I want is him being fine and happy. Your visit was definitely unexpected, and he will be a bit awkward around you for a while despite you being his brother, but give him time, Baekbom-ssi. Baekhyun had to face a lot of shit alone in these years and it’s difficult to destroy his walls to see what’s beyond, but it’s definitely worth the effort” Chanyeol whispered smiling softly toward Baekhyun who snuggled his head in Chanyeol’s shoulder.  
“I can still hear you, babe” Baekhyun muttered, lowly, making Chanyeol chuckling softly, nodding.  
“I know, I know. And aren’t you tired? Want to go home?” Chanyeol asked him briefly and Baekhyun hummed near him, fingers gripping on his sleeve.  
“I think I drank a bit too much, yeah. It’s just strange…” Baekhyun started saying sitting up and looking at Chanyeol and then shifting his stare toward Baekbom.  
“Bom is here again, Jae knows about us dating and took it well, and you are so fucking handsome as usual and I wanted to kiss you so bad for the past three hours, so… yeah, I think I was good enough and we can go home and rest, no?” Baekhyun whispered softly, nodding briefly, self-convincing himself that it was right the way he was saying, even though Chanyeol felt his cheeks catch fire at the handsome mention and knowing that Baekhyun was thinking about kissing him too as he did.  
“Do you guys live together?” Baekbom asked toward Chanyeol who bit his lips shortly before shaking his head.  
It was one of the many things he didn’t know how to face with Baekhyun.  
It would be so good if finally they could start living together, probably in Chanyeol’s house since Baekhyun’s was way too small for both of them.  
But Chanyeol didn’t want to force things, putting pressure on Baekhyun for anything.  
And even before Chanyeol could reply, Baekhyun spoke up.  
“We don’t. Yet. I’m waiting for Chanyeol to propose it to me…” Baekhyun replied way too honestly probably due to the alcohol in his body and Chanyeol frowned shortly, shaking his head.  
“Actually, I was waiting for you to even slightly hint at it. Didn’t want to force anything on you” Chanyeol objected briefly, making Baekhyun frown shortly, shaking his head.  
“Why should I say something about it? It’s… obvious that we would transfer in your house, I mean mine is a hole even too small for me, let alone for us both. And it’s not like I can invite myself to move in your house. I thought you were afraid of… commitment and thought it was too early” Baekhyun retorted immediately, suddenly way more sober than expected, glancing toward him.  
Chanyeol frowned deeply, shaking his head.  
“With you, babe, I would do whatever. And it would be paradise if you would move in with me” Chanyeol whispered softly, feeling his cheeks warmer and this time not for the alcohol and Baekhyun parted his lips slightly in awe before he could smile softly at Chanyeol.  
It was such an idiocy, how they both were afraid of asking each other, when it was so obvious that they both wanted it.  
“Tell me when and I’m already there” he breathed, leaning his head on the side and Chanyeol couldn’t restrain himself anymore, leaning down and kissing Baekhyun quickly on his lips.  
It was super quick, but they both appreciated it nevertheless.  
There was short silence and then Baekbom picked up his phone from his trousers, unlocking it.  
“Give me your contact. I want to… see you again, if you are fine with it” he breathed toward Baekhyun who nodded softly, picking up his phone, again the same iPhone that Baekbom gave him.  
It was Chanyeol who found it under one of the closets in Police archive.  
Baekhyun probably lost it there one of the last times he went to consult the archives.  
“Is that…?” Baekbom started saying and Baekhyun nodded, cheeks glowing red.  
“I like this phone and it was the only gift you gave me, so I…” he tried to reply, but his voice became feeble and his eyes glassy, shifting away.  
“I’m sorry, Hyunnie. I really am… but I couldn’t do anything else. I always thought at you and how alone you surely were. Same goes for Jae. When I was able again to meet him he hit me and called me a fucking liar because he was there at my funeral and how could I’ve been alive for all these years without saying anything, he didn’t want to speak with me for weeks and… you are both right, but I couldn’t do really any different. I love you both, but the higher ups forced me to maintain the silence for a while more” Baekbom whispered shortly, making Baekhyun inhaled deeply, nodding.  
“I… know. And Yeol is right. Give me… a bit of time. I want to build something again… maybe restarting from where we left. I’m a totally different person right now, though” Baekhyun stated, beaming at him and Baekbom smiled shortly, nodding.  
“Chanyeol-ha really has a good influence on you, Hyunnie. I’m glad about it. You too are such a good couple” Baekbom added and Baekhyun snorted shaking his head.  
“Never as you and Jae. Did you already propose to him?” Baekhyun asked him and Baekbom inhale deeply, fingers carding through his hair, shaking his head.  
“I plan on doing it in these days, though” he added immediately and Baekhyun nodded, smile not leaving his lips.  
“I’m glad you two have a second possibility” Baekhyun whispered, making Baekbom’s eyes go wider in perplexity, hundreds of feeling passing there, before he could sit up and go hugging Baekhyun from behind surprising both him and Chanyeol.  
“Love you lots, brother” he exclaimed and Baekhyun jolted in surprise, not expecting that reaction at all.  
They spoke a while more and then Chanyeol and Baekhyun decided to go away, finally leaving Baekbom and Jae to rest plenty too.  
Chanyeol drove up until Baekhyun’s house, stopping in the nearest parking place.  
“It was fun tonight. And unexpected” Chanyeol whispered, smiling softly and Baekhyun who nodded shortly before biting his bottom lip, stare shifting away.  
“I-I, yeah. And do you, uhm, want to come up? To stay together a bit?” Baekhyun proposed him, and his tone was soft, vague, definitely not in the mood of sex but cuddles.  
And Chanyeol was more than fine with those too, especially after that night so stressful and so emotional for Baekhyun.  
“Let’s go upstairs, babe, and let me hug you all night long” he whispered and Baekhyun’s cheeks caught fire, nodding.  
They went in Baekhyun’s apartment and after that Baekhyun found an XXXL t-shirt that could fit Chanyeol, they laid down together, softly hugging and caressing each other.  
“Who would have thought that my brother was still alive?” Baekhyun whispered softly, snuggling in Chanyeol’s neck and Chanyeol felt his breath against his skin, warm and pleasant.  
“Well, working with NIS he had to hide for sure especially for a few. I don’t know much but for sure he was working at something big. I’m glad for Jae-ssi, though” Chanyeol retorted and Baekhyun hugged him even better, nodding shortly.  
“They deserve it, right?” Baekhyun retorted and Chanyeol nodded, kissing the top of his head.  
“Now sleep, babe. It was a tiring evening” he breathed and Baekhyun yawned again his neck, nodding again.  
“G’night, Yeollie. Love ya” he concluded but he was already half asleep, and Chanyeol kissed him again before muttering a brief goodnight Baek, love you too.  
And… how lucky he was in all of that?  
In having someone as precious as Baekhyun?  
And all that Baekbom’s story maybe would give Baekhyun even more courage and strength.  
Because, after all, the only thing that Chanyeol wanted was the best for Baekhyun.  
In that warmth and thinking at how much he loved Baekhyun, he fell asleep.

The next morning, Chanyeol woke up with Baekhyun’s hands, caressing his abs, lips against his neck, making him feel hot and bothered.  
“Babe” he groaned lowly, fingers carding through Baekhyun’s hair.  
“Morning” Baekhyun retorted, licking Chanyeol’s neck and making him feel even harder in his boxers, morning hard on pressing against Baekhyun’s thigh in a strange twist of limbs.  
“I’d like to wake up to this every morning” Chanyeol admitted, starting to caress Baekhyun’s back up and down.  
Baekhyun bit him harder on his neck, groaning lowly before sucking a hickey there.  
“Do you really want me to move in with you? Or you said it only to impress my brother?” he asked him softly and Chanyeol chuckled softly, shaking his head pressing a kiss on Baekhyun’s forehead.  
“Also today” he replied briefly, fingers not leaving his back and not wanting to leave the comfort of the warmth of Baekhyun’s embrace.  
“You… sure? I don’t want you to…” Baekhyun started saying but Chanyeol groaned lowly, leaning down and kissing Baekhyun’s lips, shutting him up.  
Baekhyun hummed softly in the kiss, hand going to cup Chanyeol’s cheek, pulling him even nearer, tongue licking his bottom lip and forcing his way in.  
“Waking with you like this every day, having breakfast together, coming back home and having you there with me, spending evenings and afternoons on the couch watching movies with you, cuddling” Chanyeol whispered between their lips, gently brushing them but not exactly kissing, feeling Baekhyun’s breath on his lips.  
“You know that I can’t cook neither for save my life? And that during winter I continuously look for the nearest warm source which is you? And that you will hear me rantings over and over on last month’s bills?” Baekhyun started saying not distancing nor nearing Chanyeol’s lips, still maintaining that proximity, so intimate, warm and pleasant.  
“I will cook for you, babe, and will be here for you every time you will need it, from small things like warming you up during winter to bigger things like your end of the month closures” Chanyeol whispered briefly, hands moving up along Baekhyun’s side, feeling him shiver near him.  
“If this is the way you will warm me up during winter…” Baekhyun muttered, pressing his body better against Chanyeol, making him chuckle softly.  
“Want to spoil you in sex too, babe. You know that I love our perfect synchronicity” Chanyeol groaned lowly, moving his lips on Baekhyun’s neck, rolling him over, hovering on Baekhyun, earning himself a soft moan, Baekhyun softly bit his lips, sensually glancing toward Chanyeol.  
“And I love you when you say it this openly. How much you love me, the effects I have on you and how much I still make your head spin when I’m over confidently gay with you” Baekhyun whispered, voice getting lower and lower, stare not leaving Chanyeol’s, hands moving along Chanyeol’s torso, caressing his abs and… fuck, Chanyeol definitely loved it.  
And even before Chanyeol could counter something, anything, Baekhyun spoke up again, barely-there blush appearing on his cheeks.  
“Same goes for you and what you make to me, babe. So handsome and perfect, your skin always makes me dream, your hands so strong and bigger than mine and…” Baekhyun started saying, voice shortly wavering and Chanyeol was perplexed by such honesty on Baekhyun’s lips.  
Because it was true that Baekhyun praised Chanyeol frequently, both during sex and no, but he never stated something like that so openly while they were simply talking.  
But then Baekhyun cut himself off, eyes getting wider in perplexity.  
“Oh, fuck, wait. What’s the time? Which day is today?” Baekhyun asked him, changing immediately his expression and glancing toward the nightstand, picking up his phone and checking the time.  
Chanyeol frowned shortly, not understanding that sudden worry.  
“Babe?” Chanyeol asked him shortly, frowning and Baekhyun looked at him shortly over the phone.  
“You don’t have to work today?” Baekhyun retorted, frowning and biting his lips, clearly worried about it.  
Chanyeol chuckled softly, shaking his head, taking Baekhyun’s phone from his hands and putting it down again on the nightstand.  
“I told you yesterday that I wanted to do something special for our anniversary, nothing fancy or anything but I left Jondae the command for today” he replied softly, leaning down and pressing a soft kiss on Baekhyun’s forehead.  
Baekhyun’s eyes went wider in surprise, lips parting but no words exiting from there.  
“Don’t you want to? It’s the shop closing day, today so…” Chanyeol whispered, starting to have some doubts on the perfection of his plan.  
It was few weeks that he started planning the whole thing, bringing Baekhyun somewhere nice to eat lunch together and then to that art gallery that he was ranting about for more or less months.  
And why not?  
Spending the evening together, warming up in that cold winter night.  
And despite what he always said to Baekhyun that he didn’t want gifts or other things, he was the first one that bought him something.  
Because he planned on asking Baekhyun to go and live with him on that day, even though the thing went a bit differently since they met Baekbom and… well, Chanyeol wanted it to be perfect and give Baekhyun something to remember that, hopefully important day.  
Baekhyun hummed shortly, pressing his lips in a thin line.  
“I… wanted to call Sehunnie and go out with him, but I think he can wait for my next day out?” Baekhyun whispered softly, making Chanyeol inhaled deeply.  
Baekhyun and Sehun never managed to see in those days because they had different schedules, but Chanyeol knew how much Baekhyun wanted to spend time with Sehun since he was like a small brother to him.  
“No, really. It’s okay… I’ll go home after breakfast and…” Chanyeol started saying but Baekhyun’s fingers were already on his lips, shutting him up.  
“Babe, don’t even start. You took a day off, to c-celebrate our anniversary and I say no? If you did, sure you have some plans” Baekhyun whispered softly, smile gently appearing on his lips and blush tinting his cheeks.  
Chanyeol bit his lips shortly, humming.  
“Yeah, sure but Sehun…” he started saying but Baekhyun shook his head, fingers carding through Chanyeol’s hair and gently pulling him down, toward him.  
“Sh. Kiss me and tell me more about our plans for today” Baekhyun breathed against his lips before gently kiss him and Chanyeol lost himself again in the taste and the flavor of Baekhyun’s lips.  
It took them a while between kisses and grindings to finally leave the bed, quickly taking a shower before they quickly also had breakfast.  
“So which are the plans for today?” Baekhyun asked him and Chanyeol hummed shortly, gesturing toward Baekhyun’s bookshelves.  
“We could pack a bit of your things while we wait for lunch. I reserved in that fancy Japanese restaurant you wanted to go to” Chanyeol started saying, and Baekhyun frowned shortly, already shaking his head.  
“Yeol, it’s super expensive and…” he started complaining but Chanyeol glared shortly at him.  
“I don’t want to hear any complaints today. I want you to simply enjoy what will happen today, okay?” Chanyeol stopped him briefly and Baekhyun inhaled deeply, biting his lips.  
“Fine. I will try not to ask myself anything and simply enjoy it” Baekhyun stated, smile softly appearing again on his lips, nodding shortly and moving toward his bookshelves.  
They did it for the remaining of the morning and Baekhyun really had few things apart from his books.  
Not much clothes, close to nothing personal affaires but four cardboard boxes full of books.  
“We are done?” Baekhyun asked perplexed and Chanyeol nodded shortly looking around and the small apartment felt even smaller and emptier than before.  
“You didn’t have much yourself, actually” Chanyeol observed and Baekhyun chuckled softly, shaking his head.  
“So… it would really be today after all” Baekhyun retorted making Chanyeol snort briefly, letting out a soft chuckle before he could hug Baekhyun from behind.  
“If you want to, yes. My house will be yours too” Chanyeol retorted and Baekhyun hummed, fingers gently caressing Chanyeol’s arms around him.  
“Your house is, uhm, on the way to that Japanese restaurant, no?” Baekhyun let out softly, almost lightly, non-chalantly but Chanyeol knew that he was excited too.  
“Yeah, want to stop by?” Chanyeol asked shortly and Baekhyun was already nodding, turning around to gently press a kiss against Chanyeol’s chin.  
“Let’s go then. All this packing made me hungry” Baekhyun stated all happy and Chanyeol smiled at him, nodding.  
“Let’s go” he concluded and, after that they loaded Chanyeol’s car with the boxes and they also unloaded them at Chanyeol’s, they went directly to the Japanese restaurant, just the time to stop by the toilet and few other things including Chanyeol picking up Baekhyun’s gift.  
And that Japanese restaurant really was fancy as Baekhyun stated previously, all lamps, fans and scrolls and all was so aesthetically pleasing that Baekhyun was agape and staring for like fifteen minutes since they entered.  
Even though, when he picked up the menu, he whitened, stare moving on Chanyeol who pressed his finger on his lips.  
“Don’t ruin everything with money talk. If we are here, it means I can do it” Chanyeol breathed, smiling softly at him and Baekhyun hummed softly, nodding.  
“I didn’t know that officers could be this rich” he retorted, making Chanyeol inhale shortly, shaking his head.  
“You really are…” Chanyeol started saying but then shook his head, biting shortly his lips.  
“I saved money in these years, all that I had was my work and nothing more” Chanyeol started saying, shifting his stare away, closing the menu and fingers carding through his hair.  
“Since you are part of my life, I thought that I wanted to spend a bit of them to enjoy our time together doing something that we wouldn’t do otherwise?” Chanyeol continued, gesturing toward the restaurant around them and Baekhyun was looking at him perplexed, eyes wide in perplexity and slightly glassy.  
“Chanyeol, I-I… I don’t think I…” Baekhyun started saying but Chanyeol glared at him again, shaking his head.  
“You deserve it?” Chanyeol finished for him and Baekhyun bit his lips, glancing away before shortly nodding.  
“You are miracle, Baekhyun. And I can’t even imagine you not being a real thief because you really… stole my heart” Chanyeol let out softly, knowing that, despite it being the truth, Baekhyun would surely like that small mention and indeed making Baekhyun’s eyes grew larger in wonder before he could explode in a sound laughter.  
“Oh heavens, babe. It’s the worst pick up line ever” Baekhyun commented, wiping away some tears from his eyes, making Chanyeol chuckle softly too, nodding.  
“Since we are here, I have something else to tell you, just because you don’t have enough of my love and my time already…” Chanyeol started saying, picking up a small velvet box from his jacket.  
Baekhyun’s eyes went even wider, lips parting, staring at Chanyeol, agape.  
“I wanted to give it to you when I would propose, later on, to move in with me but yesterday your brother kind of messed with my plans for today” Chanyeol started saying, opening the small box and picking up the smaller ring between the two.  
“Chanyeol, what…” Baekhyun whispered and Chanyeol smiled at him softly, stretching his hand to take Baekhyun’s hand in his.  
“I can’t promise you that I won’t work extra hours, nor that I won’t accept tasks or missions that go against my police ethic. But I won’t ever let you go. Love me to eternity, Baekhyun. Let me call you mine for the rest of our lives” he stated softly, voice slightly wavering on the proposal, but stare never leaving Baekhyun’s, that started to get wider and wider, before he could press the back of his hand on his mouth, shifting his stare away.  
Chanyeol bit his bottom lip, shortly, shifting his stare away too.  
“It’s… too early, right? I-I’m sorry for putting you in…” Chanyeol started saying but Baekhyun spoke up.  
His voice was low and barely audible, but Chanyeol focused on it.  
“Yes. Forever yes. You are… irreplaceable to me, Chanyeol. I can’t live without you anymore. There’s no one like you and I… I love you” Baekhyun breathed, voice low and barely glancing toward Chanyeol, cheeks deep red and Chanyeol couldn’t believe his ears.  
Did he say… yes?  
“You know that I don’t plan on giving up on you nor now nor never, right? If you want to get rid of me, this is the right…” Chanyeol started saying but Baekhyun glared at him, clicking his tongue.  
“And you know that I won’t ever let you go either? I want to share everything with you, now and for forever” Baekhyun whispered softly, making Chanyeol smile gently, again taking Baekhyun’s hand in his.  
“You sure?” Chanyeol asked him again, making Baekhyun chuckle softly, nodding.  
“Yes, three thousand times yes” Baekhyun replied smiling and finally Chanyeol put the ring on his finger, making Baekhyun admire it shortly before he could gesture Chanyeol the small box.  
“Let me put yours on too. Because, it will be us from now til forever” Baekhyun muttered, picking up the box and the larger ring before putting it on Chanyeol’s finger, gently gripping his hand too before releasing it.  
There was a short silence and then Baekhyun exhaled deeply, shaking his head.  
“Now I’m even hungrier than before. All this suspense made me crave sushi” Baekhyun stated, chuckling softly, shaky fingers carding through his hair and Chanyeol nodded, smile on his lips, letting him ease the mood at he found more comfortable.  
“Let’s order then. I think that that kind waitress over there was waiting for you to say yes before coming and taking our orders” Chanyeol stated, shortly gesturing with his head toward a waitress near the cashier.  
Baekhyun’s cheeks became bright red before he could puff them shortly, shaking his head.  
“I’ll order double fat tuna, then!” he stated pouting and Chanyeol chuckled again and wanted to kiss Baekhyun oh so fucking much.  
They ate slowly, talking about all and nothing and after that Baekhyun ordered almost all the restaurant in sushi and was so full that could probably roll out of the restaurant instead of walking out of it, Chanyeol went to pay and they exited, Baekhyun stretching his arms over his head.  
“Where next?” Baekhyun asked him, glancing toward him and Chanyeol circled his shoulders with an arm, pulling him near, despite Baekhyun’s pouting since he was always saying that he didn’t like when Chanyeol looked so fucking tall compared to him.  
“You remember that you stressed me out with something for months and…” Chanyeol started saying shortly and Baekhyun was distancing himself from Chanyeol, eyes sparkling and overjoying like a kid.  
“I don’t fucking believe you” he stated even though he was so excited and Chanyeol chuckled softly, showing him the tickets to the gallery and Baekhyun beamed, hugging him, not caring in the slightest that they were in the middle of the street and everyone could see them.  
“You will come? Really? With me?” Baekhyun asked him, distancing from Chanyeol, just to take his hands and look at him and Chanyeol nodded shortly, glad to see Baekhyun that happy.  
Or better overjoyed.  
“I can’t believe it! Are we going now?” Baekhyun inquired again and, heavens, he looked like a kid whose parents promised to bring him to Disneyland or something like that.  
“Yeah, now” Chanyeol granted him and Baekhyun cheered again, cheeks rose and smile not leaving his lips.  
“But close your jacket better or you will catch a cold” Chanyeol immediately added making Baekhyun nod shortly, obediently and woah, art galleries could do miracle if Baekhyun actually listened to him instead of retorting with some smartass replies.  
Chanyeol drove them there and they visited the gallery, that had also a temporary exhibition for Baekhyun’s joy, for all the afternoon, Chanyeol being as patient as he probably never was in all his life.  
Baekhyun stopped everywhere to see everything.  
However, the visit was pleasant also for Chanyeol since Baekhyun explained everything, making it easily understandable also for Chanyeol whose art knowledge was… close to zero.  
And seeing Baekhyun that happy, would repay Chanyeol even if in the end it could result in something boring, thing that luckily wasn’t.  
It was almost seven when they left the gallery and Baekhyun seemed to be again a teenager more than almost in his forty.  
“You… made this day the best, babe” Baekhyun whispered softly when they were outside, going toward the parking place and Chanyeol smiled softly at him, taking Baekhyun’s hand in his, simply walking like that, hand in hand.  
And it was pleasant, Chanyeol knew that that was what he wanted for his life and that, as Baekhyun said before, no one could replace Baekhyun now that he was part of Chanyeol’s life.  
He loved him so much…  
“Any plan for tonight?” Baekhyun whispered softly, nearing Chanyeol, brushing his shoulder with Chanyeol’s but without leaving his hand and Chanyeol hummed shortly.  
“Takeaway pizza and Netflix?” Chanyeol proposed him and Baekhyun chuckled softly, smiling at him.  
“You tempt me with the pizza, but can I counter your proposal?” Baekhyun retorted slightly walking a bit faster than him, before turning around and stopping in front of Chanyeol who frowned shortly, nodding, interested in what Baekhyun wanted to propose him.  
Baekhyun neared him, fingers gently caressing Chanyeol’s neck, stare not leaving his.  
“Maybe there’s something we can do to celebrate this day a bit more, officer” Baekhyun whispered, voice low and pleasant near Chanyeol who bit his lips shortly.  
“Any… idea?” Chanyeol retorted shortly, but clearly interested and Baekhyun licked his lips shortly, nodding.  
“You know that I’m not a vanilla fan, unfortunately” Baekhyun commented, fingers going to play with the collar of Chanyeol’s shirt, making him chuckle, shaking his head.  
“There’s nothing unfortunate in that, Baek. You know I fucking agree with you on that” Chanyeol retorted and he could feel the arousal creeping up, hot shivers already appearing down his spine and making him want to take Baekhyun even on the backseats of his car.  
Even if, as officer, he knew that there were at least five different laws prohibiting it.  
Baekhyun took also the other Chanyeol’s hand in his, pulling gently, entering even more his personal space.  
“I think I packed something useful this morning… want to try together?” Baekhyun whispered and Chanyeol arched his eyebrow, clearly interested, and nodding even before Baekhyun could actually finish his sentence.  
“Let’s go home first” Chanyeol whispered even if he wanted to touch Baekhyun so bad and all his body was overreactive to Baekhyun’s presence near him.  
Chanyeol took the car again, starting to drive them home and he couldn’t still believe that home meant his and Baekhyun’s.  
And they were almost there when Baekhyun’s hand went to caress Chanyeol’s thigh, softly, almost gently, but Chanyeol gulped down, trying to stay calm about it, even if those touches weren’t anything but innocent.  
Baekhyun’s fingers knew where to touch and were moving not so slowly toward Chanyeol’s groin area, making Chanyeol’s erection grow harder at the only idea.  
He bit his lips, trying to play it cool, but Baekhyun’s hand moved even closer and when Chanyeol glanced toward him, there was a nice smirk on Baekhyun’s lips.  
“I want you so bad, Chanyeol” Baekhyun let out softly and even before Chanyeol could comment on that statement, Baekhyun moved his hands on his own erection, slowly grinding, letting out a muffled moan, making Chanyeol bit down harder on his lips, and damn he wanted to look at Baekhyun’s movements so much but he had also to look at the street which was, well, definitely more important.  
“Baek…” Chanyeol whispered, moving the hand he had on the gearshift on Baekhyun’s thigh, but Baekhyun brought it back where it was.  
“You have to drive, please focus” Baekhyun whispered, but his hands went on unbuttoning his own jeans, revealing his boxer and the dark splotch that there was on the tip of his erection, precum clearly already staining the cloth.  
And Baekhyun had the guts to tell him you have to drive, please focus?  
How could he fucking focus with Baekhyun almost jerking off on the passenger seat of his car?  
Letting out those low moans, fingers touching his erection exactly how Chanyeol would like to do in that moment?  
Chanyeol groaned lowly, pressing harder on the acceleration pedal, wanting to arrive quickly at home and finally touch Baekhyun.  
Baekhyun let out another moan, this time lower, mixed with a soft fuck and when Chanyeol glanced again toward him, Baekhyun was literally stroking himself, slowly over the fabric, closing his eyes in pleasure.  
“How I wish these were your hands” Baekhyun whispered lowly and making Chanyeol grip harder on the steering wheel, muttering a brief fuck.  
And he wanted the damn same, touching Baekhyun, feeling him moan and shiver near him, so perfect and open and…  
Fuck, his erection was already hard and weirdly pressing against the safety belt, causing Chanyeol mixed feelings, not knowing if he wanted to grind against it, forget everything and simply hasting it at home just to take Baekhyun as he wanted to.  
“You are teasing me, Baekhyun…” he groaned lowly and Baekhyun let out a breathy chuckle, nodding.  
“Oh, really? Who would have said?” Baekhyun retorted, stroking himself slightly harder, eliciting more moans from that movement and Chanyeol bit again his lips.  
“You don’t know what I’d like to do to you right now” Chanyeol breathed, changing the gear and trying to focus on the street even though Baekhyun’s soft moans were so pleasant and thickened his erection so much that he found it difficult to concentrate on something that wasn’t that, so hard and twitching inside his trousers.  
“Tell me…” Baekhyun breathed lowly, biting his lips too, trying to contain his voice, but clearly he was giving himself way more pleasure than expected.  
“You are enjoying yourself without me, teasing me… I think you deserve at least a bit of punishment, no?” Chanyeol asked him, biting his lips, clearly feeling the raise of excitement from his part too and Baekhyun groaned lowly near him, slightly nodding.  
“Oh, I don’t mind being punished by you, officer…” Baekhyun let out, voice going deeper, slightly arching his back against the seat and Chanyeol groaned too, and he wanted to touch Baekhyun so, so, so bad.  
Why he was so sensual even in doing something easy like jerking himself off?  
Chanyeol still couldn’t quite process it even if it was already one year.  
“Does this mean that you were bad, baby?” Chanyeol asked him, playing Baekhyun’s same game because he knew how much both liked it, and Baekhyun chuckled softly, nodding near him.  
“I would say, yes. After officer Park was so kind in offering me lunch in an expensive restaurant, brought me in an awesome art gallery, I’m here touching myself on the seat of his car, teasing him… not a good boy at all” Baekhyun whispered in reply, gently licking his own fingers before swiftly introducing them inside his boxer, muffling down another moan.  
Chanyeol groaned lowly, stopping at a red light, stare shifting fully on Baekhyun.  
“Definitely no… You find attractive my handcuffs a lot, right? And we never used them on you, no?” Chanyeol breathed, moving his hand on Baekhyun’s thigh, softly, gently massaging it without entering his groin area, though.  
Baekhyun’s stare sparkled in interest, biting his lips and stroking himself slowly again.  
“Will you? I have something that could make the whole thing more interesting” Baekhyun breathed in reply, stare not leaving Chanyeol’s and Chanyeol bit his lips again, nodding shortly.  
“Oil” Baekhyun whispered and Chanyeol groaned lowly, fingers moving closer to Baekhyun’s groin but Baekhyun whispered a short it’s green and Chanyeol started driving again before the car behind him started to complain about it.  
Heavens bless they were almost there, because Chanyeol felt like his erection was getting thicker and thicker, closer to probably explode.  
And in the very moment he parked his car inside the garage, Chanyeol’s hand went immediately over Baekhyun’s, forcing a faster pace, surprising Baekhyun who moaned lowly, throwing his head back.  
“I really would like to see you coming upstairs with me if you come in your boxer, here. Wouldn’t it feel strange and… imagine if we found someone on the way up?” Chanyeol whispered at his ear, stroking him harder, earning himself a low moan and Baekhyun bit his lips down, hardly.  
“Ah, no… please. Which i-idea would your neighbors have of me?” Baekhyun asked him, moaning, hardly keeping his voice down and Chanyeol bit his ear, licking it.  
He was so aroused and wanted to touch Baekhyun so bad and that wasn’t even close to what he really wanted to do.  
“That you are mine and I’m the only one you will fuck with for the rest of our lives?” Chanyeol breathed deeply in his ear, making Baekhyun whimper lowly and coming in his boxer, letting out a breathy fuck, Yeol, I want you.  
Chanyeol placed a soft kiss on his temple before opening the glove box in front of Baekhyun and picking up some wet wipes.  
“Let’s go upstairs and finish the mess you’ve started?” Chanyeol whispered lowly and Baekhyun bit his lips, accepting the wipes and quickly almost cleaning himself and his fingers, even though the stain was visible both on his boxer and on his jeans.  
Chanyeol opened the door of the car, exiting and Baekhyun imitated his gesture, closing it behind him and, despite Baekhyun’s prayers that no one appeared on their way up to Chanyeol’s apartment, they met both the apartment administrator and two old ladies that lived on a different floor but took the elevator with them.  
Baekhyun’s cheeks were deep red, staring at his own shoes, but Chanyeol never distanced from him, arms always around his waist, keeping him near.  
And when they arrived in Chanyeol’s apartment, Baekhyun glared at him.  
“Did you have to stop speaking also with the ladies to help them with the grocery?” Baekhyun groaned lowly but Chanyeol was already near him, pulling him in his personal space.  
“You were a bad boy, you said it yourself, no? And you want officer Park to show you some discipline, no?” Chanyeol continued and despite one of the first conversations they had on statuses and Chanyeol having maybe something with the whole uniform and ranks and being an officer, actually it was Baekhyun that had a small kink for uniform and Chanyeol being an officer.  
And he loved it when Chanyeol played around with that story oh so much.  
“That didn’t mean…” Baekhyun started saying but Chanyeol pressed Baekhyun against the wall, knee pressing between his legs, spreading them wider and feeling Baekhyun’s erection against it.  
“Ah, fuck” Baekhyun breathed, hands carding through Chanyeol’s hair, pulling him down, nearing Chanyeol to him.  
“So, let’s settle some rules before start playing. You know that the only thing I want is for it to be as pleasant as possible for both” Chanyeol whispered, leaning down and gently biting Baekhyun’s ear, making him groan lowly.  
“Wasn’t it pizza for tonight? Safe word will be Hawaii then” Baekhyun retorted shortly, grinding his erection against Chanyeol’s thigh and Chanyeol chuckled softly, shortly biting Baekhyun’s neck.  
He was the only one who could propose something that silly but Chanyeol loved him so much also for that reason.  
“Fine” he granted, placing small kisses along Baekhyun’s neckline, feeling him shiver near him, letting out a breathy moan.  
“And do you remember the color code?” Chanyeol asked him softly, shortly introducing his hands underneath Baekhyun’s sweater, feeling his skin explode in goosebumps.  
“Do we have to do this every time?” Baekhyun groaned lowly but Chanyeol bit him harder on his neck, sucking a hickey, making Baekhyun arch his back from the wall, grinding even better against Chanyeol.  
“I’m just want to be sure you won’t do something you don’t like, or I won’t do something that can hurt you, babe. We already talked about this” Chanyeol muttered softly against his neck before shortly detaching from him and looking at him in the eyes.  
Because in the past years, Baekhyun finally opened definitely to Chanyeol starting to tell him also past sexual experiences that he had and he didn’t enjoy at all, both with Nam or with others.  
There was something in those that made Chanyeol promise himself that he would give whatever to Baekhyun even in that playing they had and they both enjoyed but Chanyeol wanted to be sure that everything was in Baekhyun’s control.  
Giving him the possibility to stop what was going on if he didn’t like what they were doing.  
Or simply indicate if there was something that he wasn’t comfortable in doing or that Chanyeol was doing.  
They looked at each other and then Baekhyun smiled shortly at him, so softly that made Chanyeol’s heart flutter despite the situation.  
“Y-Yeah… I know, I know. We have green if I’m enjoying it, yellow if I’m mildly discomforted and red if I’m not okay with it at all. Need also a secret gesture or…?” Baekhyun breathed but Chanyeol kissed him slowly before he could shake his head.  
“I want our neighbors to know perfectly how good you are feeling tonight. So, no I won’t prevent you in any way to speak” Chanyeol breathed against his lips, making Baekhyun lick his own lips, clearly interested in the whole mentioning.  
“Make me. I know you like my voice and how much I moan and plead you to give me more. So… make me. I’ll do my best not to, since I’m a bad boy, no?” Baekhyun retorted making Chanyeol groan lowly, leaning down and biting Baekhyun’s bottom lip.  
“You know how much it turns me on to hear you saying this, right?” he breathed, making Baekhyun chuckle softly and yes, that was definitely a yes.  
“Let’s move in the bedroom before I take you here, spoiling all the fun for tonight” Chanyeol concluded, distancing him and taking Baekhyun’s hand in his, guiding him down to the bedroom, not bothering turning on the other lights.  
“Wait, for the oil…” Baekhyun started saying once they were in the bedroom but Chanyeol shook his head shortly.  
“For how much I like the idea of you naked plus oil, it’s not the right night. We will use it another time” Chanyeol stated, gesturing toward the bed, making Baekhyun bit his lips, clearly interested to whatever Chanyeol was proposing him.  
And he was about to sit on the bed but Chanyeol shook his head.  
“Strip” Chanyeol ordered and Baekhyun nodded briefly, starting from the sweater, taking it off slowly, revealing the t-shirt underneath it.  
His fingers moved to his belt, unbuckled it, before he started unbuttoning his jeans, pulling them down, remaining only in t-shirt and boxer.  
“More than this?” Baekhyun asked and Chanyeol nodded, adding a short completely.  
“Ugh, such a naughty officer” Baekhyun breathed, biting his lips, but moving his hands on his own back, pulling away also his t-shirt, throwing it somewhere over the desk behind Chanyeol.  
Baekhyun leant down, taking off also his boxer, letting his erection spring out, already hard, despite the fact that he came once in the car, no more than twenty minutes prior.  
“I see you are already hard down there” Chanyeol noted shortly, hinting with his head toward Baekhyun who chuckled, fingers already going to it, stroking it slowly.  
“Want to see me playing, officer?” Baekhyun asked him, biting his bottom lip, and both knew how much Chanyeol enjoyed looking at Baekhyun fingering himself open for Chanyeol.  
“Not tonight. Hands on your back” Chanyeol retorted strictly, immediately, even though the idea of Baekhyun touching himself pleased him more than he wanted to admit.  
Baekhyun arched briefly his eyebrow, clearly interested but obeyed, turning around, giving his back to Chanyeol who neared the desk picking up his handcuff and putting them on Baekhyun’s wrists, blocking them behind his back.  
“Uh, kinky. What’s happening? Now you will push me on the bed and fuck me?” Baekhyun asked, glancing at Chanyeol over his shoulder and Chanyeol shook his head shortly.  
“Wouldn’t it be too easy? Too plain and not fucking fun at all?” Chanyeol retorted back, fingers gently caressing Baekhyun’s side, making his skin bloom in goosebumps.  
“Are you saying that it’s not fun fucking me, officer?” Baekhyun asked back biting his lips, but he knew why Chanyeol said what he did, he was just joking too.  
“Oh, it is. It’s so damn much, but there’s something more entertaining that I want to do with you tonight” Chanyeol breathed, hand stopping on his waist and smirking at him, making Baekhyun’s stare immediately going to Chanyeol’s, curious and perplexed.  
“Now… on your knees on the bed. But keep standing, don’t lean down with your upper body” Chanyeol ordered again and Baekhyun bit his lips, nodding and acting as Chanyeol said, even though Chanyeol helped him finding his equilibrium on the bed.  
“What are you thinking of, officer? I’m dying of curiosity here” Baekhyun let out softly spreading wider his legs and finding the most comfortable position.  
Baekhyun was perfect, naked and spreading his legs like that on Chanyeol’s bed.  
Wait, no… starting from that day on, Baekhyun moved in with him so that was their bed.  
“And not only curiosity, seeing how hard you are. And don’t you like surprises?” Chanyeol asked him shortly, putting the small key of the handcuffs in his pocket, reaching him on the bed, nearing him and even before Baekhyun could reply or retort something, Chanyeol laid down on the bed, fixing his position so that he had his face exactly under Baekhyun’s ass, arms still able to caress the front of Baekhyun’s thighs, able to catch him if Baekhyun would lost his balance, falling face first on Chanyeol.  
“W-What?” Baekhyun breathed shortly trying to move away, but Chanyeol’s hands held him in place.  
“Where are you going? Sit here for a while…” Chanyeol retorted but Baekhyun shook his head shortly, arching his back.  
“O-Officer, I don’t think it’s a good idea. I-I mean…” Baekhyun started saying but Chanyeol caressed the front of his thighs, making him immediately shut up, probably biting his lips to shut up.  
“Sure. Baek, which color?” Chanyeol asked him and Baekhyun let out a soft moan before he could mutter a soft, brief green.  
“I didn’t hear you. Which color?” Chanyeol repeated, gripping harder on Baekhyun’s thigh, making him groan lowly, arching again his back clearly wanting that contact as much as Chanyeol wanted it.  
“Green, officer. Just please treat me kindly… it’s a while since last time I…” Baekhyun started saying but Chanyeol chuckled softly shaking his head.  
“Treat you kindly? I remember you that this is your punishment for enjoying yourself when I was right at your side, coming all alone despite everything” Chanyeol stated, starting again to caress Baekhyun’s thighs, making him shiver over him.  
And even before Baekhyun could speak up again, Chanyeol caressed the profile of his buttocks.  
“As this is not enough, you are not allowed to lean further down, okay?” Chanyeol asked him gently slapping his thigh, making Baekhyun quiver briefly, wrists pulling against the handcuffs.  
“D-Does this mean that…” he started saying, voice low and wavering, but Chanyeol was already replying to his question.  
“Sit better down and let me entertain you” Chanyeol breathed, helping Baekhyun to literally sit on his face.  
Chanyeol always wondered how that would be and the reality was definitely better than the expectations.  
In that position he could easily access with mouth and tongue all Baekhyun’s entrance, perineum and balls area, making him even harder already.  
His fingers caressed softly the front of Baekhyun’s thighs, before moving on his waist, making him sit better, starting to slowly lick his perineum, that small piece of skin that was in between his balls and his entrance, feeling Baekhyun shiver over him.  
The sensation was even stronger than usual and Chanyeol was liking every second of it, starting to lick him better, tongue going to cover every single inch with saliva before moving to Baekhyun’s balls, starting to suck and bite them not so gently, making Baekhyun hide a whimper, arching his back and pressing better against Chanyeol’s face.  
“Ah, officer, you feel so good” Baekhyun breathed, throwing his head back, pulling again at the handcuffs, trying to balance again not to lose it and fall face first on Chanyeol’s body underneath him.  
Chanyeol wanted to chuckle because… already?  
That was only the beginning.  
Chanyeol continued his ministrations on Baekhyun’s balls, feeling him shiver and arch his back against Chanyeol’s face, clearly wanting more, but Chanyeol knew perfectly where to stop, preventing Baekhyun to come.  
And even though he couldn’t see it, he knew that Baekhyun’s erection was already leaking precum copiously on Chanyeol’s shirt.  
When Chanyeol had enough of teasing Baekhyun with an infinite cycle of half-there touches and licks, he moved his attentions on Baekhyun’s entrance, pressing his hands on Baekhyun’s thighs, making him spread them wider, giving him more access.  
Baekhyun arched his back, pushing down, meeting better Chanyeol’s tongue, tentatively moving against his hole, licking it flatly, without even starting an insertion.  
“It’s not right, though, officer. I want to touch and please you too…” Baekhyun breathed out, earning himself a sound slap on his thigh, making him gasp and throw his head back.  
“Later, maybe, if you will be good enough, I’ll let you touch me and please me too” Chanyeol stated, voice slightly muffled from Baekhyun’s presence on him but he was sure that Baekhyun heard him because he straightened his back again, squeezing Chanyeol’s with his thighs.  
“I can’t wait for it… You are making me crazy with this barely-there touches and, ah…” he started saying but cutting himself off with a low moan when Chanyeol licked him better, adding more saliva to the gesture, making it sticky and so, so pleasant.  
Baekhyun bit his lips again, trying that hard to muffle down a low moan.  
Chanyeol massaged Baekhyun’s thighs shortly, before he could finally decide and pressing his tongue in, shortly, not much, just enough to pass beyond the tight ring of muscle, making Baekhyun yip in surprise, pressing against the insertion, pulling again at the handcuffs, fingers intertwining and gripping harder on each other, enough to whitening down.  
Except Chanyeol’s ministrations against his entrance, the room was too silent, Baekhyun muffling way too well his moans, and Chanyeol remembered perfectly what he promised to Baekhyun.  
Reason why he sucked hard on his entrance before immediately pressing in all his tongue, making Baekhyun moan loudly, unable to tone it down, so sudden and so pleasant.  
And to Chanyeol, so fucking erotic.  
Nothing changed regarding Baekhyun’s voice.  
It still aroused and turned on Chanyeol oh so bad.  
Baekhyun moaned again when Chanyeol started a pace to his thrusts, alternating it with some sucks on his entrance that made him quivering and trembling on Chanyeol, moans and swears easily filling the room and, yeah, that was definitely better than before.  
But not enough yet.  
“O-Officer, I know that I wasn’t a good boy, but I think I got the lesson” Baekhyun started saying, breathing it more than speaking louder and Chanyeol wanted to chuckle, but he just pressed his tongue deeper inside Baekhyun making him spread his legs wider, pressing his ass more against Chanyeol’s face, arching his back again, still trying to maintain an appearance of stability.  
Baekhyun always tried to.  
Showing himself more in control than what he actually wanted to be.  
Chanyeol knew that it was because he had a lot of awful past experiences, but he was more than glad when Baekhyun, one evening in which he wasn’t exactly sober, told him that he actually wanted Chanyeol to break down those walls too, making Baekhyun go crazy for him, losing his control and simply enjoying how good he could make him feel.  
And from that moment on, both when he was topping or not, Chanyeol tried his best to push Baekhyun beyond his own limits, showing his true self.  
It wasn’t only fucking worth it, but Baekhyun always felt so good after, more refreshed, relaxed, totally at ease with himself and his pleasure.  
And that was mattered to Chanyeol.  
Baekhyun and his welfare.  
Nothing more and nothing less.  
“Oh, you did?” Chanyeol asked briefly moving his hands on Baekhyun’s sides, softly, making his skin explode in goosebumps again, nodding shortly.  
“Yeah, I…” he started but, Chanyeol slapped his thigh again, making him gasp, probably biting again his lips.  
“Not yet. Let me taste you a bit more” he stated moving his hand Baekhyun’s erection and the position wasn’t one of the best, but enough to do what he was planning to do.  
He started to stroke him slowly, oh so slowly, that Baekhyun tried to follow his pace, pressing it to be faster, but forgetting about the fact that Chanyeol was still so near to his entrance.  
And Chanyeol kindly reminded him.  
He sucked hardly on his entrance before thrusting his tongue in, making Baekhyun cry in pleasure, Chanyeol’s name brokenly leaving his lips.  
“C-Chanyeol, ah, fuck” he breathed, voice so low and deep to go directly to thicken Chanyeol’s erection.  
Not that it needed any help since he was already so hard to be almost hurting.  
Chanyeol didn’t stop, creating a pace in his movements, both on the front and on the back, making Baekhyun starting to move up and down on Chanyeol, like he was hopping, clearly enjoying that more and more.  
“Ah, officer, please… let me come” he breathed, and Chanyeol could feel that he was almost coming, reason why he pressed hard on the base of Baekhyun’s cock, halting all his movements on him, also the ones on the back, making Baekhyun hiss and groan lowly.  
“F-Fuck… What did I do wrong, officer? I’m obedient and letting you play with me as you want” Baekhyun whined lowly, trying to be cute and obtain what he wanted but Chanyeol chuckled softly before biting his buttock, making Baekhyun gasp in surprise.  
“You already came, if I don’t mistake. And you want to come again?” Chanyeol asked him, moving a little passing his arms over Baekhyun’s thighs, hands immediately going to spread Baekhyun’s buttocks wider.  
“I-I did, yes. B-But please officer” Baekhyun whined again arching again his back, pressing it down but Chanyeol shook his head, moving his hands to his own trousers.  
“There is something that you could do for convincing me to let you come, you know?” Chanyeol whispered, unbuttoning his jeans and pulling down both them and his boxer, revealing his hardness.  
“Want me to ride you, sir?” Baekhyun proposed, but Chanyeol chuckled again, hand gently pressing against Baekhyun’s back, making him slightly lean forward, and Baekhyun, being the perfect being he was, he already understood Chanyeol’s intentions.  
“It will be hard without using my hands, officer…” he started saying but Chanyeol shook his head, moving again his arms and hands near Baekhyun’s ass.  
“You don’t have to make me come, just convince me to let you come. And if you are good enough, later, I can let your hands free and you can ride me, showing me that you really understood the lesson” Chanyeol let out lowly, fingers caressing the back of Baekhyun’s thighs, up and down reaching his buttocks but without touching them too much.  
Baekhyun groaned even more and Chanyeol couldn’t see what he was doing, but Baekhyun leant down more than before, with a bit of difficulty since he couldn’t use his hands, but suddenly Chanyeol felt his hot breath on his own erection, lips placing a soft kiss on the tip.  
“Let me convince you then, officer. Because I want to show you how good I am, obedient as you want me and you know it, no? I’m bad just because I know that later you will show me the right way, guiding me on the right path again?” Baekhyun breathed against Chanyeol’s erection making him bit his lips shortly, fingers gripping harder on Baekhyun’s thighs, before he could pull Baekhyun a bit down, toward his own face again, letting him sit again on his face.  
“Show me” Chanyeol breathed lowly before lapping again his entrance, making Baekhyun gasp softly, blowing hot air on Chanyeol’s erection, making it twitch.  
Chanyeol knew that Baekhyun would do a good job but he didn’t expected at all that before his tongue or his lips, he would feel only saliva, hot and wet gliding down his erection, making Chanyeol bite Baekhyun’s ass near his entrance to muffle down a groan.  
Baekhyun moaned openly against Chanyeol’s erection, spitting a bit more saliva that covered another part of his erection.  
“You like this, officer? Tell me what you want more…” Baekhyun whispered softly but Chanyeol slapped not so gently his buttock, spreading it wider, revealing more his entrance, making him moan again.  
“Do what I told you. No questions” he ordered, before gently caressing Baekhyun’s thigh.  
“Which color now?” Chanyeol asked him softly and Baekhyun gently licked Chanyeol’s erection, dedicating himself especially on the top.  
Chanyeol groaned lowly, gripping harder on his thigh but repeated the question.  
“Emerald green, babe. No worries… I will tell you if we are…” Baekhyun started saying but Chanyeol sucked again on his entrance, making him moan, more saliva dripping down on Chanyeol’s erection.  
“Then proceed” Chanyeol ordered, moving again his tongue on Baekhyun’s entrance restarting his ministrations there, slowly licking and gently inserting, starting a pace that was only half-there.  
Baekhyun moaned again but then leant down again finally taking Chanyeol’s erection in his mouth, rolling his tongue around it, making Chanyeol grip harder on Baekhyun’s thighs, while he thrusted even deeper his tongue inside Baekhyun.  
Baekhyun hummed lowly, closing his lips around his erection, starting to bob his head up and down, for how much he could from that position and without the help of his hands.  
And still considering Chanyeol’s tongue playing with his entrance, making him unstable and shivering, unable to find a proper balance in any position.  
Exactly when he seemed like he found it, steadying himself, probably enjoying but getting used to Chanyeol’s insertion, Chanyeol passed to his fingers.  
Without using a single drop of lube, he thrusted in two fingers, making Baekhyun almost choke on his erection, before he could straighten again, throwing his head back, moaning loudly and pressing against the insertion.  
“Your fingers are so thick, officer… stretching me so good” Baekhyun let out, voice a bit louder than before but Chanyeol removed them immediately, earning himself a click of his tongue.  
“Are you really doing your best to have them, though?” Chanyeol asked him and Baekhyun groaned lowly, leaning down again and restarting his activities on Chanyeol’s erection, starting to suck him again, using the previous amount of saliva as lube and making the action way smoother than before, despite the hindrances.  
Chanyeol moaned lowly, thrusting again his fingers inside Baekhyun, slower than before, feeling Baekhyun hum around his erection, sucking on it better, starting a faster pace.  
And if Chanyeol knew everything about Baekhyun, same went also on the contrary.  
Baekhyun knew exactly what Chanyeol liked, how to he preferred his blowjobs depending on the situation, faster or slower, tighter or more laid back.  
But that time it wasn’t time to play around.  
Especially because he wanted Chanyeol to let him come oh so bad.  
Both they knew it.  
Chanyeol too wanted to give it to him as soon as possible, because all that playing around made him especially hard and wanting and… why Baekhyun was so perfect in everything?  
Even in the unknown, even when Baekhyun proposed him something different from usual but he pulled out at perfection?  
Baekhyun’s pace grew faster, sucking Chanyeol’s erection harder, tongue circling around it, dedicating special attentions to the top and the slit, making Chanyeol’s head start to spin gently, arousal growing more and more.  
He pushed in another finger inside Baekhyun, starting a faster movement too, feeling Baekhyun hum around his erection, but this time without stopping.  
“Oh, now we’re getting there, uh?” Chanyeol breathed lowly, before licking and sucking on Baekhyun’s balls, making him hum again, pressing his ass against Chanyeol’s attentions, making his thought clear even without expressing it through words.  
Chanyeol loved every instant of it, Baekhyun’s lips and tongue arousing his erection more and more, while he was fingering Baekhyun was… heavens.  
But he didn’t want to come like that.  
And he wanted to hear Baekhyun asking for it.  
Not for his tongue nor for his fingers.  
“Stop it” Chanyeol ordered and Baekhyun obeyed even though in straightening his back up, he allowed Chanyeol to thrust deeper inside himself, reaching his prostate and letting out a loud moan, pressing against the intrusion with all his body, back arched and head pushed behind.  
The moan was so lewd and so erotic that Chanyeol bit his lips not to ask Baekhyun to start again whatever he was doing before.  
“Promise you will be a good boy and tell me what you from me” Chanyeol breathed against his balls, hot breath caressing the wetness there and making Baekhyun shiver again, pressing harder again on Chanyeol’s fingers that slowed down a bit compared to before, but still hitting on his prostate.  
“I-I’ll be your good boy forever, officer Park” Baekhyun started saying, voice cracking in pleasure and even though Chanyeol couldn’t see him in face, he knew that Baekhyun was starting to totally lose it, pleasure finally substituting to rationality.  
“You will be my good baby boy, then?” Chanyeol asked him, starting to get again a faster pace and hinting Baekhyun to continue speaking, feeling him tremble again in pleasure, pressing on the insertion.  
“I-I will. So, p-please… give it to me” Baekhyun moaned again, starting to move in the same tempo with Chanyeol’s movement inside him.  
This time, Chanyeol let him do it, wanting to reward Baekhyun since he was more than he could have expected until that moment.  
“What do you want, babe? Tell me and I’ll give it to you” Chanyeol inquired again, pace getting even quicker, making Baekhyun moan and groan on him, more than obviously reaching his climax and Baekhyun arched again his back, taking each time Chanyeol’s fingers deeper and deeper.  
“I want you to fill me with your cum. So much that I can’t take it anymore… please. Fuck me, Chanyeol, I need you inside me” Baekhyun let out loudly, and Chanyeol simply moved his other hand to stroke few times Baekhyun’s erection and he was coming hard, almost violently on Chanyeol’s shirt, crying Chanyeol’s name, making Chanyeol groan even lower than before, feeling like his own erection was about to explode for how aroused he was.  
However, things had their priority.  
He moved away from Baekhyun’s ass, gently pulling out his fingers from him and, ignoring totally the horrible state of his shirt, he cleaned his hand on his trousers, before cupping softly Baekhyun’s cheeks.  
“You okay, babe?” he asked him softly and Baekhyun nodded briefly, leaning on his shoulder, hiding his face there.  
“You sure? May I see your face?” Chanyeol asked him slightly worried that this time he overdid, getting too aroused with the whole setting, especially when Baekhyun shook his head.  
He inhaled deeply, kissing his temple.  
“Which color is right now?” Chanyeol inquired softly, gently caressing his hair and patting his own trousers to pick up the small key for the handcuffs.  
“T-The…” Baekhyun started saying and Chanyeol frowned shortly, leaning more in, trying to catch all Baekhyun’s words.  
“Brightest green. I loved this so much, baby” Baekhyun whispered, before shortly detaching from Chanyeol and beaming at him, making Chanyeol smile shortly, stare inquiring Baekhyun’s but finding only glassiness and still darkened with want.  
Chanyeol didn’t have any doubt, then.  
“So…” Chanyeol started looking at him and Baekhyun was really the most beautiful person in the world.  
His lips were red, a bit swollen from the biting and his activities on Chanyeol’s erection, his hair messy and sweaty sticking on his forehead, cheeks glowing red, but his eyes were sparkling so bright that Chanyeol wanted to kiss him sweetly forever.  
He could leave that for later though.  
His erection was still way too hard and it was slightly obvious to Baekhyun too.  
“So… Was I good enough to convince you to uncuff me and ride you, showing you that I understood also today’s lesson?” Baekhyun asked him smirk easily appearing on his lips and fuck if Chanyeol loved him.  
He loved him more than whoever else and with a strength that went far beyond whatever he would ever think he could feel for someone.  
And Chanyeol was about to nod and move his hands on the handcuffs to free Baekhyun’s hands, when Baekhyun shook his head shortly.  
“Or maybe…” he started saying and from the glint in his stare there was something that Chanyeol found even more enthralling than the whole situation.  
“Let them here, for a while more” he stated gesturing to the handcuffs and Chanyeol raised his eyebrows shortly, perplexed.  
“You sure? Your wrists are already signed…” Chanyeol started saying, checking on his hands, but Baekhyun shook his head.  
“I will wear a bigger hoodie for few days” he retorted but Chanyeol was still a bit skeptic, pondering on what was better to do, especially not wanting to hurt Baekhyun’s wrists even more.  
“Pretty please, officer Park. I was so good in following all you said until now. Can’t you indulge in my request a bit more?” Baekhyun let out with the cutest tone Chanyeol ever heard on Earth and Chanyeol almost choked on his own breath, eyes getting wider in surprise that such a sweet yet deep tone could leave Baekhyun’s lips.  
Baekhyun cleared his throat shortly, shaking his head.  
“Maybe you prefer a bit higher?” he tried softly, repeating the same sentence again, but with a slightly higher tone but Chanyeol’s hands were already on his mouth covering it up.  
“The first one was already perfect, babe. You are so… arousing, perfect, beautiful, handsome, erotic yet sensual” Chanyeol started saying but Baekhyun shook his head, freeing himself of Chanyeol’s hands, just to press a kiss against Chanyeol’s lips.  
“Oh, stop it and fuck me already. I know you want it too… officer” Baekhyun growled lowly and Chanyeol nodded, taking away his trousers and boxer but keeping with him the small key of the handcuffs.  
“Give me that. You will need hands more than me” Baekhyun stated and Chanyeol nodded, giving it to him, before moving better on the bed and helping Baekhyun sit on his laps and despite it was the nth time he had Baekhyun in his laps, it was a wonder like all the time before.  
So perfect, stunning.  
Erotic yet so sensual and enthralling.  
Chanyeol would have stared at Baekhyun forever.  
“Come here” Chanyeol whispered, making gesture to near him and Baekhyun did as said, almost sitting on Chanyeol’s erection, making him groan lowly, fingers immediately going to his sides, gripping shortly.  
“So, babe, since you were a really good boy, what did you learn from today?” Chanyeol asked, looking at him and seeing Baekhyun’s signature smirk appearing again on his lips.  
“That provoking you touching myself in your car can lead to… erotic experiences I never lived before and I want to discover more of these” Baekhyun stated honestly even though it wasn’t exactly the right reply to give in that moment, making Chanyeol chuckle briefly, shaking his head.  
“I don’t think this is the correct reply, actually… You sure you don’t want to review it?” Chanyeol asked him and Baekhyun bit his lips, making gesture to think a bit about it, before nodding shortly.  
“So?” Chanyeol tried again and Baekhyun smirked again at him, and if the first click wasn’t evocative enough, the second, around Chanyeol’s own wrists, surprised him enough, making him frown shortly.  
In a second, Chanyeol’s handcuffs passed from Baekhyun’s wrists to Chanyeol’s.  
“You shouldn’t give a thief the key of your handcuffs, Mr. officer” Baekhyun breathed leaning down, breathing against Chanyeol’s lips, making him snort, shaking his head.  
“You have the keys to my heart, where’s the difference?” Chanyeol retorted, catching Baekhyun unprepared and making his eyes grew larger in astonishment.  
“You are so sappy” he started saying but without even thinking about it, his hands went down on Chanyeol’s hard erection, gently stroking it, making Chanyeol let out a low groan, pulling at the handcuffs, realizing once again how short was the chain between them.  
“No worries, officer. I want you too much to keep this play up a bit more” Baekhyun stated, gathering a bit of precum that was shimmering on Chanyeol’s erection with his fingers and bringing it to his own lips, licking it away.  
Chanyeol was so enthralled that he didn’t even know how to reply or if he had the cognitive ability to reply.  
Baekhyun slightly rose up, fixing his position before bottoming up without any further ado, making Chanyeol groan lowly, biting down his lips.  
“Baek, fuck…” he muttered and Baekhyun arched his back, stretching pleasantly around Chanyeol, but still taking all his erection in one single swift thrust.  
Impressive as per usual as their bodies were compatible and so used to each other.  
Still…  
It felt so hot and wet around Chanyeol’s and he didn’t know what he would have done to have more of that contact, of that heavenly sensation, making it last forever.  
“Your thickness is always comforting and filling me up oh so well” Baekhyun whispered, moving his hands to open Chanyeol’s dirtied shirt, just to caress Chanyeol’s torso, liking way too much how toned he was even though he rarely said it.  
Chanyeol loved so much when Baekhyun ride him, feeling perfectly every single movement, how he was stretching him open, how Baekhyun could squeeze him inside him…  
But he didn’t like not being able to touch Baekhyun.  
Especially not after all he did a bit before.  
And since Baekhyun didn’t tied his hands behind his back as Chanyeol instead did with Baekhyun, he circled his arms around Baekhyun’s neck, with his hands still cuffed, pulling him near.  
“I won’t touch you, but at least let me use my mouth” Chanyeol proposed him and Baekhyun groaned lowly, squeezing him inside himself, making the reply already known.  
“I know you want it too, babe. I want to mark your neck, kissing you and making you call my name again while you come and I fill you up as you asked before. Am I mistaking?” Chanyeol asked him pulling him near and moving his lips on his neck, softly biting him, making Baekhyun arch his back, moaning lowly and starting a different pace on Chanyeol’s laps, making them both groan again, enjoying the new pace definitely more than before.  
And it was pleasant, playful, Chanyeol biting Baekhyun’s neck and filling it of hickeys, red and purple blooming on Baekhyun’s skin, making him moan lowly.  
However, it wasn’t the right pace and Baekhyun knew it too.  
Felt it too.  
Because Chanyeol wasn’t helping him out, forcing a faster pace inside himself and he was doing it on purpose obviously, apart from having his hands tied.  
“Yeol…” Baekhyun called him, grinding down again, moaning and his erection was already hard and leaking precum, but that pace wasn’t enough and Baekhyun was clearly a bit tired too, probably due to all kneeling from before.  
“Babe, uncuff me and let me hold you properly. Want to feel you come again…” Chanyeol whispered at his ear, biting it shortly, making Baekhyun groan lowly, but nodding shortly, moving his hands on Chanyeol’s and he uncuffed only one, but Chanyeol’s hands were already on him, gripping harder on his buttocks, making Baekhyun moaning loudly at the sudden deeper insertion and Chanyeol started immediately to thrust at a faster pace.  
“You are so good, babe, let me hear your voice more” Chanyeol breathed again but on Baekhyun’s lips there was again that soft smirk.  
“Make me scream your name, fuck me harder” he stated and Chanyeol almost growled before he could change their position, pressing Baekhyun’s back on the mattress and starting thrusting inside him at an even faster pace, making Baekhyun moan even louder than before, hands going on Chanyeol’s shoulders, gripping harder.  
“Oh, fuck… yes” Baekhyun let out, and the difference in his voice tone and volume was… perceptible.  
“You like it here, babe? Or you want more?” Chanyeol breathed at his ear, groaning lowly, feeling like he was about to explode, because Baekhyun was so fucking hot and he was squeezing him so pleasantly inside himself, making Chanyeol lose that small control that he had left.  
“More, give me more” Baekhyun moaned again, meeting Chanyeol’s thrusts with his movements and Chanyeol bit him again on his neck, hands gripping harder on his sides, thrusting deeper and finally hitting his prostate, making Baekhyun arch his back from the mattress, pressing toward the insertion and moaning even louder than before, Chanyeol’s name mixed between pleas and swears.  
“C-Chanyeol… please, more, give me more” Baekhyun demanded, trying to contain his voice but picked up an even faster pace, hitting again and again on his prostate and making Baekhyun come again, untouched, this time on his own torso, crying out Chanyeol’s name and squeezing Chanyeol inside himself impossibly tighter, making Chanyeol growl lowly.  
“You are so perfect babe, coming again for me” Chanyeol breathed against his ear, slightly biting it and Baekhyun gripped harder on Chanyeol’s shoulders, probably signing them.  
“It’ all your doing, Chanyeollie. You make me go crazy, and I want always more” Baekhyun retorted, still following Chanyeol’s thrusts inside himself, groaning lowly.  
“I’m sorry… keep it up a bit more for me, will you?” Chanyeol asked him shortly and Baekhyun nodded, fingers carding through Chanyeol’s hair and pulling shortly.  
“You haven’t filled me up yet… And I want everything. Up to the last drop” he breathed biting his lips, looking at Chanyeol and he nodded shortly, focusing only on his own pleasure, feeling his erection twitch again inside Baekhyun, orgasm creeping up, warmth pooling on his stomach and shivers running down his back.  
“I want you so much, Baekhyun. Can I really come inside you?” Chanyeol asked him softly, feeling like he couldn’t take anymore, and he was so near, and he wanted it so much that he was about to explode.  
Baekhyun simply nodded, muttering a short but way too effective fill me up that made the trick and Chanyeol came hardly inside Baekhyun, panting like he ran for a marathon, seeing stars and lights and for a second he could swear he was about to pass out for how good he was feeling, pleasure blooming in every inch of his body.  
He slowed down bit by bit, starting to press kisses everywhere on Baekhyun’s face and with each kiss came a small I love you to which Baekhyun replied with an equally soft love you too baby.  
They stayed there for few minutes, enjoying the bliss and the high of their comes before Chanyeol could smile softly at Baekhyun, kissing his forehead.  
“How are you feeling?” Chanyeol asked him shortly and Baekhyun closed his eyes still lost in his bliss.  
“Fucked, but in the right sense of the word” Baekhyun replied honestly, voice barely there and clearly spent, making Chanyeol chuckle again.  
“Is there a right way to be fucked?” Chanyeol retorted, frowning softly and Baekhyun huffed shaking his head.  
“You know what I mean” he added, and he was really spent, sweaty and messy.  
Chanyeol kissed him again before he could exit Baekhyun slowly, making him hiss briefly in over sensitivity, before Chanyeol could check the damage on Baekhyun’s wrists, picking up some lotion from the nightstand and rubbed a bit on it.  
“If you dare say that you are sorry I will slap you” Baekhyun stated, like he was able to read Chanyeol’s thoughts and Chanyeol let out a soft chuckle, shaking his head, even though his stare didn’t leave Baekhyun’s wrists.  
“It will be a bit more than few days here, babe” Chanyeol noted shortly, frowning, but Baekhyun sat up, forcing Chanyeol to look at him, free hand moving to caress his cheek.  
“I don’t mind. Everything was perfect and I love every single instant of this” he stated decidedly and his stare was clear and sincere in Chanyeol’s, so much that Chanyeol nodded shortly, placing a soft kiss on the internal side of Baekhyun’s wrist.  
“So… will you come shower with me and later we can order that pizza you mentioned before? I’m starving” Baekhyun declared all happily and smiley and Chanyeol chuckled softly, nodding and sitting up, helping Baekhyun to sit up too, moving to the shower that took them way more than a normal shower because despite everything Baekhyun still felt playful and they touched a bit too much.  
And with clean clothes on and after ordering the pizzas, they sat on the couch, deciding on what to watch that night.  
Chanyeol was scrolling down the movies when Catch me if you can movie made him chuckle softly, attracting Baekhyun’s interested expression.  
“All of this started because I was looking for you, you know?” Chanyeol asked him and Baekhyun frowned shortly before realizing what he meant.  
“I was a good thief, right? No proofs, perfect covers, made you quite pissed off” Baekhyun retorted, chuckling softly and Chanyeol leant in biting his ear shortly, making him groan.  
“You were the best in pissing me off, who would have thought that you were so good that you really stole my heart too? Not me for sure” Chanyeol breathed softly, and Baekhyun smiled at him, caressing his cheek softly.  
“And you… remember that I said that I have something for you too, and wanted to give you yesterday but then with Jae and my b-brother…” Baekhyun started saying and Chanyeol nodded shortly, clearly remembering how Baekhyun mentioned something like that, but as he said other things happened and he almost forgot.  
Baekhyun sat up shortly, going toward one of the cardboard boxes they packed that day and picking up a folded envelope.  
“I know what I said. And that you still have that folder on me that Xing gave you and you won’t ever use it against me…” Baekhyun started saying, making Chanyeol frown deeply trying to understand where Baekhyun wanted to go with that discourse, and clearly he didn’t have the least intention of using it to harm Baekhyun in any way!  
And he was about to stating it up, but Baekhyun’s fingers were on his lips, pressing softly.  
“But I talked with Xing few weeks ago, this time openly, without any weight, freely like I always liked to do since when we know and he gave me an idea” Baekhyun whispered softly, biting his lips and looking at Chanyeol almost wary on stating what it was.  
“Should I worry?” Chanyeol retorted, shortly, but on his lips there was a soft smile and Baekhyun shook his head, stare not leaving his.  
“I made an official enquiry. To be, uhm, assigned as profiler to your squad, Yeol” Baekhyun declared and Chanyeol’s eyes went even wider in perplexity, not getting how they got there.  
What about the shop?  
And the I don’t want to have anything to do with police anymore?  
And it wasn’t for his brother either, since the enquiry seemed to be prior to when Baekhyun came to know that Baekbom was still alive.  
“I never liked static life. I found several ways in the past to go back to Xing even when he didn’t menace me, even when Bom was still alive, oh, well, he still is but, fuck, you know what I mean…” Baekhyun started saying but struggling on the whole Baekbom’s death discourse.  
“A-And the shop?” Chanyeol asked him briefly, making Baekhyun smile briefly.  
“I think I could hire someone?” he retorted shrugging his shoulders, glancing toward Chanyeol who frowned carding his fingers through his hair.  
“You seem quite decided on this…” Chanyeol let out shortly and honestly, he was so… happy about it he didn’t know how to react at the news.  
Because that would mean working twenty-four-seven with Baekhyun on real cases in which they wouldn’t keep turning around because Baekhyun had to hide his proficiencies due to a lot of hidden truths.  
“Is it no good for you?” Baekhyun asked him worried, probably concerned by Chanyeol’s silence but Chanyeol shook his head immediately, smiling at him.  
“Not good, babe? I’m more than glad about it! I’ll probably find the application on my desk in two days, and yeah, I’ll approve it for sure. I thought you had enough of profiling, police and all that shit” Chanyeol retorted, pressing a gentle kiss on Baekhyun’s cheek and making him blush shortly.  
“I thought so too. But in this year I… bored myself to death. So yeah, let me come back to work with you” Baekhyun stated making Chanyeol open in a soft smile, nodding.  
And Chanyeol knew that with Baekhyun at his side, they could do really whatever and face whatever case they will encounter.  
Because he and Baekhyun was destined to greater things.  
Not only in work, but in their personal lives too.  
Chanyeol didn’t know why but he could feel it.  
Baekhyun entered in his life like thunder in a summer day, but he wasn’t destined to disappear after summer rain, he was meant to stay.  
Forever.


End file.
